5612 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 22 / Thursday, February 3, 2005 / Notices 

ADDRESSES: The modifications 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) 427–2521; 

and,

Northeast Region, NMFS, One 

Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 

01930–2298, phone (978) 281–9328, fax 

(978) 281–9394.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Jefferies (301)713–2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

requested modifications have been 

granted under the authority of the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 

and the provisions of § 222.306 of the 

regulations governing the taking, 

importing, and exporting of endangered 

and threatened fish and wildlife (50 

CFR parts 222–226).

The New York State Department of 

Environmental Conservation is 

authorized to sample for and collect 300 

shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser 

brevirostrum) annually in the Hudson 

River. The objectives of the study are to 

collect data on current distribution, 

abundance, length structure and 

movements of shortnose sturgeon in this 

river system. This modification will 

extend the permit through October 31, 

2006.

Dr. Kynard is authorized to sample for 

and collect 300 shortnose sturgeon in 

the Connecticut River. The objectives of 

the study are to collect data on current 

distribution, abundance, length 

structure and movements of shortnose 

sturgeon in this river system. This 

modification will extend the permit 

through June 1, 2006.

Issuance of these modifications, as 

required by the ESA was based on a 

finding that such permits: (1) Were 

applied for in good faith; (2) will not 

operate to the disadvantage of the 

endangered species which is the subject 

of these permits; and (3) are consistent 

with the purposes and policies set forth 

in section 2 of the ESA.

Dated: January 22, 2005. 

Stephen L. Leathery,

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 05–2002 Filed 2–2–05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[Docket No. 050114009–5009–01; I.D. 

011105B]

Whaling Provisions; Aboriginal 

Subsistence Whaling Quotas

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the 

aboriginal subsistence whaling quota for 

bowhead whales, and other limitations 

deriving from regulations adopted at the 

2002 Special Meeting of the 

International Whaling Commission 

(IWC). For 2005, the quota is 75 

bowhead whales struck. This quota and 

other limitations will govern the harvest 

of bowhead whales by members of the 

Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission 

(AEWC).

DATES: Effective February 3, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries 

Service, 1315 East West Highway, Silver 

Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cheri McCarty, (301) 713–2322.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Aboriginal 

subsistence whaling in the United States 

is governed by the Whaling Convention 

Act (16 U.S.C. 916 et seq.). Regulations 

that implement the Act, found at 50 CFR 

230.6, require the Secretary of 

Commerce (Secretary) to publish, at 

least annually, aboriginal subsistence 

whaling quotas and any other 

limitations on aboriginal subsistence 

whaling deriving from regulations of the 

IWC.

At the 2002 Special Meeting of the 

IWC, the Commission set quotas for 

aboriginal subsistence use of bowhead 

whales from the Bering-ChukchiBeaufort Seas stock. The bowhead quota 

was based on a joint request by the 

United States and the Russian 

Federation, accompanied by 

documentation concerning the needs of 

two Native groups: Alaska Eskimos and 

Chukotka Natives in the Russian Far 

East.

This action by the IWC thus 

authorized aboriginal subsistence 

whaling by the AEWC for bowhead 

whales. This aboriginal subsistence 

harvest is conducted in accordance with 

a cooperative agreement between NOAA 

and the AEWC.

The IWC set a 5-year block quota of 

280 bowhead whales landed. For each 

of the years 2003 through 2007, the 

number of bowhead whales struck may 

not exceed 67, except that any unused 

portion of a strike quota from any year, 

including 15 unused strikes from the 

1998 through 2002 quota, may be 

carried forward. No more than 15 strikes 

may be added to the strike quota for any 

one year. At the end of the 2004 harvest, 

there were 15 unused strikes available 

for carry-forward, so the combined 

strike quota for 2005 is 82 (67 + 15).

This arrangement ensures that the 

total quota of bowhead whales landed 

and struck in 2005 will not exceed the 

quotas set by the IWC. Under an 

arrangement between the United States 

and the Russian Federation, the Russian 

natives may use no more than seven 

strikes, and the Alaska Eskimos may use 

no more than 75 strikes.

NOAA is assigning 75 strikes to the 

Alaska Eskimos. The AEWC will 

allocate these strikes among the 10 

villages whose cultural and subsistence 

needs have been documented in past 

requests for bowhead quotas from the 

IWC, and will ensure that its hunters 

use no more than 75 strikes.

Other Limitations

The IWC regulations, as well as the 

NOAA rule at 50 CFR 230.4(c), forbid 

the taking of calves or any whale 

accompanied by a calf.

NOAA rules (at 50 CFR 230.4) contain 

a number of other prohibitions relating 

to aboriginal subsistence whaling, some 

of which are summarized here. Only 

licensed whaling captains or crew under 

the control of those captains may engage 

in whaling. They must follow the 

provisions of the relevant cooperative 

agreement between NOAA and a Native 

American whaling organization. The 

aboriginal hunters must have adequate 

crew, supplies, and equipment. They 

may not receive money for participating 

in the hunt. No person may sell or offer 

for sale whale products from whales 

taken in the hunt, except for authentic 

articles of Native handicrafts. Captains 

may not continue to whale after the 

relevant quota is taken, after the season 

has been closed, or if their licenses have 

been suspended. They may not engage 

in whaling in a wasteful manner.

Dated: January 27, 2005.

Rebecca Lent,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 05–2001 Filed 2–2–05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S