Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 208 / Monday, October 28, 2024 / Notices 85517 

against the appropriate quotas of the 

shark research fishery participant. 

Additionally, in recent years, all shark 

research fishery participants were 

limited to a very small number of dusky 

shark mortalities on a regional basis. 

Once the designated number of dusky 

shark mortalities occurs in a specific 

region, certain terms and conditions are 

applied (e.g., soak time limits). While 

NMFS has not yet determined the 

specific terms and conditions of the 

2025 shark research fishery permits, 

NMFS expects the terms and conditions 

to be similar to those in 2024 permits. 

For example, participants may continue 

to be limited in the number of sets 

allowed on each trip and the number of 

hooks allowed on each set and on the 

vessel itself. A Federal Register notice 

describing the specific objectives for the 

2025 shark research fishery and 

requesting applications from interested 

and eligible shark fishermen may be 

published in the near future. NMFS 

requests public comment regarding 

NMFS’ intent to issue shark research 

fishery permits in 2025 during the 

comment period of this notice. 

Table 1 summarizes the number of 

specimens authorized under EFPs and 

related permits thus far in 2024, as well 

as the number of specimens collected in 

2023. The total amount of collections in 

2023 was within the analyzed quotas for 

all quota-managed HMS species. The 

number of specimens collected in 2024 

will be available when NMFS receives 

all 2024 interim and annual reports. 

In all cases, NMFS counts mortalities 

associated with EFPs, SRPs, or display 

permits (except for larvae) against the 

appropriate quota. In 2023, NMFS 

issued a total of 46 EFPs, SRPs, display 

permits, and LOAs for the collection, 

sampling, and/or tagging of HMS and 3 

shark research fishery permits. As of 

October 1, 2024, NMFS has issued a 

total of 46 EFPs, SRPs, display permits, 

and LOAs and 3 shark research fishery 

permits. 

TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF HMS EXEMPTED FISHING PERMITS ISSUED IN 2023 AND 2024, OTHER THAN SHARK RESEARCH

FISHERY PERMITS

Permit type Species 

2023 2024 

Permits 

issued 

Authorized 

fish 

(numbers) 1

Fish kept/ 

discarded dead 

(numbers) 

Permits 

issued 

Authorized 

fish 

(numbers) 1

EFP ...................................... HMS ..................................... 2 184 0 2 84 

Shark ................................... 8 1 N/A 0 6 0 

Tuna ..................................... 2 30 0 1 120 

SRP ..................................... HMS ..................................... 8 1,027 6 5 540 

Shark ................................... 0 0 0 1 1010 

Swordfish ............................. 1 30 0 1 0 

Display ................................. HMS ..................................... 1 55 0 1 54 

Shark ................................... 3 223 47 3 223 

Total ................................................................................ 26 25 55 20 1 203 

LOA ...................................... Shark ................................... 20 1 N/A 102 26 1 N/A 

Note: ‘‘HMS’’ refers to multiple species being collected under a given permit type. 1 NMFS issued some EFPs, SRPs, and LOAs for the purposes of tagging and the opportunistic sampling of HMS and were not expected to result in large amounts of mortality, thus no limits on sampling were set. NMFS will account for any mortality that may occur throughout 2024 under 

the appropriate HMS research and display quota. 

NMFS does not currently anticipate 

any significant environmental impacts 

from the issuance of EFPs, SRPS, 

display permits, and shark research 

fishery permits, consistent with the 

assessment of such activities as 

identified in Categorical Exclusion B12 

of the Companion Manual for NOAA 

Administrative Order 216–6A or within 

the environmental impacts analyses in 

existing HMS actions. Existing actions 

include the 1999 FMP, the 2006 

Consolidated HMS FMP and its 

amendments, Amendment 2 to the 2006 

Consolidated HMS FMP, the 

Environmental Assessment for the 2012 

Swordfish Specifications, the 

Environmental Assessment for the 2022 

Final Bluefin Tuna Quota and Atlantic 

Tuna Fisheries Management Measures, 

and the 2022 Zero Atlantic Shortfin 

Mako Shark Retention Limit Final Rule. 

Final decisions on the issuance of any 

EFPs, SRPs, display permits, and shark 

research fishery permits will depend on: 

• The submission of all required 

information about the proposed 

activities; 

• NMFS’ review of public comments 

received on this notice; 

• The applicant’s reporting history on 

past permits; 

• If vessels or applicants were issued 

any prior violations of marine resource 

laws administered by NOAA; 

• Consistency with relevant National 

Environmental Policy Act analyses; and 

• Any consultations with appropriate 

Regional Fishery Management Councils, 

states, or Federal agencies. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 

16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: October 22, 2024. 

Karen H. Abrams, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–25023 Filed 10–25–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE412] 

Endangered Species; File No. 28294 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Matthew Fisher (Normandeau 

Associates Inc., 2233 Spring Street, 

West Lawn, PA 19609), has applied in 

due form for a permit to take Atlantic 

(Acipenser oxyrinchus) and shortnose 

(A. brevirostrum) sturgeon for purposes 

of scientific research. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before November 27, 

2024. 


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85518 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 208 / Monday, October 28, 2024 / Notices 

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 home page, https://

apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting 

File No. 28294 from the list of available 

applications. These documents are also 

available upon written request via email 

to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted via email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 28294 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. The request should set forth 

the specific reasons why a hearing on 

this application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin 

Markin, Ph.D. or Malcolm Mohead, 

(301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is requested 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 applicant requests to conduct 

research on Atlantic and shortnose 

sturgeon in freshwater and estuary areas 

of the Delaware River. Research 

objectives would include assessing and 

quantifying the presence of Atlantic and 

shortnose sturgeon at the egg, larval, 

juvenile and sub-adult/adult life stages. 

Other studies would also include 

assessing sturgeon home range, 

individual movement patterns, seasonal 

movements, habitat use, nursery areas, 

over-wintering habitat use, population 

dynamics, and habitat assessment. 

Up to 265 juvenile and 25 adult/subadult shortnose sturgeon and 265 

juvenile and 5 adult/sub-adult Atlantic 

sturgeon would be captured by gill net 

or trawl, measured, weighed, 

biologically sampled (tissue), marked 

(passive integrated transponder), and 

photographed/videoed, annually, prior 

to release. Sub-sets of Atlantic and 

shortnose sturgeon may be anesthetized 

and implanted with acoustic 

transmitters, gastric lavaged, and fin ray 

sampled. The applicant requests one 

unintentional mortality of juvenile and 

adult/subadult shortnose sturgeon and 

one juvenile Atlantic sturgeon annually, 

but no more than two of each species 

life stage over the life of the permit. 

A total 300 shortnose and 100 

Atlantic sturgeon of early life stages 

would be taken in directed lethal 

research annually. The permit would be 

valid for up to 10 years from the date 

of issuance. 

Dated: October 21, 2024. 

Julia M. Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–24992 Filed 10–25–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE413] 

Endangered Species; File No. 21467 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for 

a permit modification. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Karen Holloway-Adkins, Ph.D., East 

Coast Biologists, Inc., P.O. Box 33715, 

Indialantic, FL 32903, has requested a 

modification to scientific research 

Permit No. 21467–02. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before November 27, 

2024. 

ADDRESSES: The modification request 

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 home page, https://

apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting 

File No. 21467 Mod 6 from the list of 

available applications. These documents 

are also available upon written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted via email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 21467 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. The request should set forth 

the specific reasons why a hearing on 

this application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin 

Markin, Ph.D., or Amy Hapeman, (301) 

427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject modification to Permit No. 

21467–02, issued on July 2, 2021 (86 FR 

43630, August 10, 2021), is requested 

under the authority of the Endangered 

Species Act of 1973, as amended (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). 

Permit No. 21467–02 authorizes the 

permit holder to determine (1) spatial 

and temporal distribution, (2) mean 

size, (3) foraging habitats and diet 

composition, (4) body conditions and 

fibropapillomatosis ratios, (5) genetic 

origin, and (6) home-range, site fidelity, 

and residency times of green (Chelonia 

mydas) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) 

sea turtles in Brevard County, Florida. 

Researchers may capture by tangle, cast, 

or dip net or hand, measure, mark, 

biologically sample, tag, weigh, and 

photograph sea turtles prior to release. 

The permit holder requests 

authorization to (1) increase the annual 

number of juvenile green sea turtles 

from 25 to 95 for the authorized 

methods listed above and (2) add 10 

adult green turtles annually for capture 

by tangle net, measure, and photograph/ 

video, prior to release. The permit is 

valid through September 30, 2027. 

Dated: October 21, 2024. 

Julia M. Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–24993 Filed 10–25–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE418] 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Pacific Council) 

and its advisory bodies will meet 

November 13–18, 2024, in Costa Mesa, 

CA and via webinar. The Council 

meeting will be live streamed with the 

opportunity to provide public comment 

remotely. 

DATES: The Pacific Council meeting will 

begin on Thursday, November 14, 2024, 

at 10 a.m., Pacific Time (PT), 

reconvening at 8 a.m. on Friday, 

November 15 through Monday, 

November 18, 2024. All meetings are 

open to the public, except for a Closed 

Session held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 

Thursday, November 14, 2024, to 


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