51840 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 31, 2005 / Notices 

activities to be conducted by the 

applicant over a five-year period. 

PRT–101628 

Applicant: Miami Metrozoo (MiamiDade County Parks/Zoo), Miami, 

Florida. 

The applicant requests a permit for 

interstate commerce to purchase a 

female Asian elephant (Elephas 

maximus), ‘‘Nellie,’’ born approximately 

1969 from R.W. Commerford & Sons, 

Goshen, Connecticut. The animal has 

been on long-term loan to the Miami 

Metrozoo since December 2000. The 

purpose of the requested activity is for 

breeding, conservation education, and 

enhancement of the survival of the 

species. 

Endangered Marine Mammals 

The public is invited to comment on 

the following application for a permit to 

conduct certain activities with 

endangered marine mammals. The 

application was submitted to satisfy 

requirements of the Endangered Species 

Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.) and the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 

U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the regulations 

governing endangered species (50 CFR 

part 17) and marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 18). Written data, comments, or 

requests for copies of the complete 

application or requests for a public 

hearing on this application should be 

submitted to the Director (address 

above). Anyone requesting a hearing 

should give specific reasons why a 

hearing would be appropriate. The 

holding of such a hearing is at the 

discretion of the Director. 

PRT–100361 

Applicant: Mote Marine Laboratory, 

Sarasota, FL. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

take West Indian manatees (Trichechus 

manatus) throughout Florida and 

import specimens from the Caribbean 

region and import specimens of South 

American manatee (Trichechus 

inunguis), West African manatee 

(Trichechus senegalensis), and dugong 

(Dugong dugong) for the purpose of 

scientific research including collection 

and importation of biological samples, 

physiological analyses, aerial surveys 

and close approach for photo 

identification and behavioral surveys. 

This notification covers activities to be 

conducted by the applicant over a fiveyear period. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, the 

Division of Management Authority is 

forwarding copies of the above 

applications to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and the Committee of 

Scientific Advisors for their review. 

Dated: August 19, 2005. 

Monica Farris, 

Senior Permit Biologist, Branch of Permits, 

Division of Management Authority. 

[FR Doc. 05–17331 Filed 8–30–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; Initiation of a 5-Year 

Review of Aleutian Shield Fern 

(Polystichum aleuticum) 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of review. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service (Service) announces a 5-year 

review of Aleutian shield fern 

(Polystichum aleuticum) under section 

4(c)(2)(A) of the Endangered Species Act 

of 1973 (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). A 

5-year review is a periodic process 

conducted to ensure that the listing 

classification of a species is accurate. A 

5-year review is based on the best 

scientific and commercial data available 

at the time of the review; therefore, we 

are requesting submission of any such 

information on Aleutian shield fern that 

has become available since its original 

listing as an endangered species in 1988 

(53 FR 4626). Based on the results of 

this 5-year review, we will make the 

requisite finding under section 

4(c)(2)(B) of the ESA. 

DATES: To allow us adequate time to 

conduct this review, we must receive 

your information no later than 

September 15, 2005. However, we will 

continue to accept new information 

about any listed species at any time. 

ADDRESSES: Submit information to the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska 

Regional Office, Endangered Species 

Division Chief, Attention: 5-Year 

Review, 1011 East Tudor Road, 

Anchorage, Alaska 99503–6199. 

Comments may also be faxed to 907–

271–2786, or e-mailed to 

charla_sterne@fws.gov. See 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for file 

formats and other information about 

electronic filing. Information received in 

response to this notice and review will 

be available for public inspection, by 

appointment, during normal business 

hours, at the above address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael Roy at the above address, or at 

(907) 786–3925. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the 

Act, the Service maintains a list of 

endangered and threatened wildlife and 

plant species at 50 CFR 17.11 (for 

animals) and 17.12 (for plants). Section 

4(c)(2)(A) of the Act requires that we 

conduct a review of listed species at 

least once every 5 years. Then, on the 

basis of such reviews under section 

4(c)(2)(B), we determine whether or not 

any species should be removed from the 

List (delisted), or reclassified from 

endangered to threatened or from 

threatened to endangered. Delisting a 

species must be supported by the best 

scientific and commercial data available 

and only considered if such data 

substantiates that the species is neither 

endangered nor threatened for one or 

more of the following reasons: (1) The 

species is considered extinct; (2) the 

species is considered to be recovered; 

and/or (3) the original data available 

when the species was listed, or the 

interpretation of such data, were in 

error. Any change in Federal 

classification would require a separate 

rulemaking process. The regulations in 

50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish 

a notice in the Federal Register 

announcing those species currently 

under active review. This notice 

announces our active review of the 

Aleutian shield fern currently listed as 

endangered. 

The 5-year review considers the best 

scientific and commercial data and all 

new information that has become 

available since the listing determination 

or most recent status review. Categories 

of requested information include: (A) 

Species biology, including, but not 

limited to, population trends, 

distribution, abundance, demographics, 

and genetics; (B) habitat conditions, 

including but not limited to, amount, 

distribution, and suitability; (C) 

conservation measures that have been 

implemented that benefit the species; 

(D) threat status and trends; and (E) 

other new information, data, or 

corrections, including but not limited 

to, taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, 

identification of erroneous information 

contained in the List, and improved 

analytical methods. 

Public Solicitation of New Information 

To ensure that the 5-year review is 

complete and based on the best 

available scientific and commercial 

information, we are soliciting new 

information from the public, concerned 

governmental agencies, tribes, the 

scientific community, industry, 

environmental entities, and any other 

interested parties concerning the status 

of Aleutian shield fern. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 31, 2005 / Notices 51841 

Electronic Access and Filing Addresses 

You may submit comments by 

sending electronic mail to: charlasterne@fws.gov. 

Please submit electronic comments in 

an ASCII file format, and avoid the use 

of special characters and encryption. 

Identify all comments in electronic form 

by including ‘‘Aleutian shield fern 5- 

Year Review Comments’’ in the title 

line. 

If you wish to provide information for 

this 5-year review, you may submit your 

comments and materials to the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Regional 

Office (see ADDRESSES section). Our 

practice is to make comments, including 

names and home addresses of 

respondents, available for public review 

during regular business hours. 

Respondents may request that we 

withhold a respondent’s identity, as 

allowable by law. If you wish us to 

withhold your name or address, you 

must state this request prominently at 

the beginning of your comment. We will 

not, however, consider anonymous 

comments. To the extent consistent with 

applicable law, we will make all 

submissions from organizations or 

businesses, and from individuals 

identifying themselves as 

representatives or officials of 

organizations or businesses, available 

for public inspection in their entirety. 

Comments and materials received will 

be available for public inspection, by 

appointment, during normal business 

hours (see ADDRESSES section). 

Authority: This document is published 

under the authority of the Endangered 

Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.). 

Dated: July 26, 2005. 

Gary Edwards, 

Acting Regional Director, Region 7, Fish and 

Wildlife Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–17317 Filed 8–30–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Marine Mammal Annual Report 

Availability, Combined Calendar Years 

1999 and 2000 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service and the Biological 

Resources Discipline of the U.S. 

Geological Survey, have issued our 

combined Calendar Years 1999 and 

2000 annual report on marine mammals 

under the jurisdiction of the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, as required 

by section 103(f) of the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972. Our report 

covers the periods of January 1 to 

December 31, 1999, and January 1 to 

December 31, 2000. We submitted the 

report to Congress on September 7, 

2004. By this notice, we are informing 

you, the public, that the report is 

available and that copies may be 

obtained on request to the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service. 

ADDRESSES: You should submit written 

requests for copies to: Publications Unit, 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National 

Conservation Training Center, Route 1, 

Box 166, Shepherd Grade Road, 

Shepherdstown, WV 25443. You may 

also contact that office by telephone at 

1–800–344–WILD (9453). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Diane Bowen, Division of Habitat and 

Resource Conservation, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service in Arlington, Virginia, 

at telephone 703–358–2161. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. 

Department of the Interior is responsible 

for eight species of marine mammals, as 

assigned by the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 

U.S.C. 1361 et seq.). These species are 

polar bear, sea and marine otters, 

walrus, three species of manatee, and 

dugong. Administrative actions 

discussed in our report include 

appropriations, status reports, research 

activities, scientific research and public 

display permits, international activities, 

law enforcement actions, and outer 

continental shelf operations and 

environmental studies. 

Dated: July 25, 2005. 

Mamie Parker, 

Assistant Director, Fisheries and Habitat 

Conservation. 

[FR Doc. 05–17330 Filed 8–30–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–U 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task 

Force—Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic 

Regional Panel 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance 

Species (ANS) Task Force Mid-Atlantic 

Regional Panel. The meeting is open to 

the public. The meeting topics are 

identified in the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section. 

DATES: The Mid-Atlantic Regional Panel 

will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 

Wednesday, September 7, 2005, and 9 

a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, 

September 8, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: The Mid-Atlantic Regional 

Panel meeting will be held at Cacapon 

State Park, 818 Cacapon Lodge Drive, 

Berkeley Springs, WV 25411; (304) 258–

1022. Minutes of the meeting will be 

maintained in the office of Division of 

Environmental Quality, Chief, Branch of 

Invasive Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Suite 322, 4401 North Fairfax 

Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22203–1622, 

and will be made available for public 

inspection during regular business 

hours, Monday through Friday. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie 

Thompson, Mid-Atlantic Regional Panel 

Coordinator, 410–573–4517, 

Julie_Thompson@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to section 10(a)(2) of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 

App.), this notice announces a meeting 

of the ANS Task Force Mid-Atlantic 

Regional Panel. The ANS Task Force 

was established by the Nonindigenous 

Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and 

Control Act of 1990. The Mid-Atlantic 

Regional Panel was established by the 

ANS Task Force in 2003 and includes 

eight Mid-Atlantic States (Delaware, 

Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, 

New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and 

West Virginia) and the District of 

Columbia. The Regional Panel is 

comprised of representatives from 

Federal, State, and local agencies, as 

well as from private environmental and 

commercial interests, and performs the 

following activities: 

a. Identifies priorities for activities in 

the Mid-Atlantic region, 

b. Develops and submits 

recommendations to the national 

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, 

c. Coordinates aquatic nuisance 

species program activities in the MidAtlantic region, 

d. Advises public and private 

interests on control efforts, and 

e. Submits an annual report to the 

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. 

Topics to be addressed at this meeting 

include: Regional Panel business 

(standard operating procedures and 

membership), international ballast water 

standards, a spotlight on the northern 

snakehead (Channa argus), 

development and implementation of an 

ANSTF management plan, status of 

ANS management plans in the MidAtlantic Region, updates on ANS Task 

Force activities and the National 

Aquatic Invasive Species Act, and