[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63832-63833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26838]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XG655
Endangered Species; File Nos. 21857, 22078, and 22324
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of applications for permits.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that three applicants have applied in
due form for permits to take smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) for
purposes of scientific research, with one also requesting to receive,
import, and export parts of five foreign species of sawfish, including
dwarf (P. clavata), narrow (Anoxypristis cuspidata), green (P.
zijsron), largetooth (P. Pristis), and non-U.S. DPS smalltooth sawfish
for scientific research.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or
before January 11, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The permit requests 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 the
applicable File No. from the list of available applications. These
documents are also available upon written request or by appointment in
the 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.
Written comments on the pertinent application should be submitted
to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed
above. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713-0376,
or by email to [email protected]. Please include the File No.
in the subject line of the email comment.
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 would be appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Malcolm Mohead or Erin Markin 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 governing the taking,
importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR
parts 222-226).
File No. 21857: Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation, 5120
Beacon Road, Palmetto, FL 34221, requests a 10-year permit document the
occurrence, distribution, biology, movements, and habitat use of
smalltooth sawfish found in United States waters. Sampling may occur
anywhere within the species' range, but primarily in the Gulf of Mexico
coastal areas of Florida bordering Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough,
Pinellas, Hernando and Pasco counties. To capture sawfish, researchers
would use bottom longline, drum line, gillnet, angling gear, seine net,
and cast net. Captured smalltooth sawfish would be sexed, measured,
weighed (if possible), marked with passive integrated transponder (PIT)
tags, dart tags, and roto tags, photographed, ultrasounded, and tissue
sampled (i.e., blood, fin clip, muscle biopsy). A maximum of 50 neonate
and juvenile life stages and 50 adult and sub-adult life stages would
be taken annually with subsets of 25 of each life stage group fitted
with internal or external telemetry tracking devices. Up to one sawfish
from each life stage group may unintentionally die during research
activities. Additionally, the applicant requests to collect, receive,
necropsy, analyze, and archive up to 100 salvaged dead smalltooth
sawfish specimens (whole or parts) that have been legally collected or
archived elsewhere within the U.S.
File No. 22078: The NFMS Southeast Fisheries Science Center
(Responsible Party: Theo Brainerd, Ph.D.), 75 Virginia Beach Drive
Miami, FL 33149, requests a 10-year permit monitoring the biology,
habitat use, and movements of smalltooth sawfish primarily within the
Everglades National Park, the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife
Refuge, and Florida Bay.
Sampling would be conducted year-round with gillnets, longlines,
seines, cast nets, and angling gear. The applicant anticipates annually
capturing and sampling a maximum of 150 sawfish annually (100 neonates
and juveniles and 50 subadults and adults). Depending on the life stage
and research objective, research activities would include: Measurement,
weigh (when possible), ultrasound, photograph/video, genetic tissue fin
clip, muscle biopsy, external dart tag, PIT tag, and blood draw.
Additionally, subsets of each life stage group would receive internal
or external telemetry devices
[[Page 63833]]
prior to release. Up to one sawfish from each life stage group may
unintentionally die during research activities. Additionally, the
applicant requests to collect, receive, necropsy, analyze, and archive
up to 30 salvaged dead smalltooth sawfish specimens (whole or parts)
that have been legally collected or archived elsewhere within the U.S.
File No. 22324: The University of Florida (Responsible Party: Gavin
Naylor, Ph.D.), Florida Museum of Natural History, Dickinson Hall,
Gainesville, FL 32611, requests a 10-year permit to study smalltooth
sawfish movements, habitat use, temporal and spatial distribution, and
population structure using tagging, telemetry, and population genetic
methods. Sawfish would be collected year-round in the Florida Bay and
the upper Florida Keys using gillnets, longlines, and angling gear. The
applicant anticipates capturing each year up to 60 sawfish, including
20 neonates and juveniles and 40 sub-adult and adult life stages.
Research activities would include measurement, weigh (when possible),
ultrasound, photograph/video, genetic tissue fin clip, muscle biopsy,
skin biopsy, external dart tag, PIT tag, and blood draw. Subsets of
each life stage group would receive either internal or external
telemetry tracking devices prior to release. Additionally, the
applicant further requests to collect, receive, necropsy, analyze and
archive up to 100 salvaged dead smalltooth sawfish specimens (whole or
parts) that have been legally collected or archived elsewhere within
the U.S. Other objectives include receiving, importing, and exporting
tissue samples (or parts) from five other foreign species of sawfish
for scientific and archival purposes, including dwarf, narrow, green,
largetooth, and non-U.S. DPS smalltooth sawfish.
Dated: December 6, 2018.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-26838 Filed 12-11-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P