Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Abalone
| Published date | 14 March 2019 |
| Citation | 84 FR 9309 |
| Record Number | 2019-04763 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration |
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 50 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 50 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 9309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04763]
[[Page 9309]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XG862
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Abalone
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; application for one enhancement permit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a revised permit
application request for one new enhancement permit. The original permit
application was released for public comment on September 26, 2018.
However, before the permit application was processed, the applicant
requested substantive changes that required additional public review
and comment. The proposed work is intended to increase knowledge of
species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide
management, conservation, and recovery efforts. The application may be
viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.
DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the application
must be received at the appropriate address or fax number (see
ADDRESSES) no later than 5 p.m. Pacific standard time on April 15,
2019.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the application should be submitted to
the Protected Resources Division, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802. Comments may also be submitted via fax to
562-980-4027 or by email to [email protected] (include the permit
number in the subject line of the fax or email).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Wang, Long Beach, CA (ph.: 562-
980-4199, Fax: 562-980-4027, email: [email protected]). Permit
application instructions are available from the address above, or
online at https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Species Covered in This Notice
The following listed species are covered in this notice:
Endangered white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni).
Authority
Enhancement permits are issued in accordance with section
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and regulations
governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226). NMFS
issues permits based on findings that such permits: (1) Are applied for
in good faith; (2) if granted and exercised, would not operate to the
disadvantage of the listed species that are the subject of the permit;
and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policy of section 2 of the
ESA. The authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set
forth in the permits.
Anyone requesting a hearing on the application listed in this
notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on the
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). Such hearings are
held at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NMFS.
Application Received
Permit 18116
The NMFS West Coast Region (WCR) has requested a five-year
enhancement permit to annually take larval, juvenile, and adult white
abalone in California. The original permit application was submitted on
August 25, 2018 and posted for public comment on September 26, 2018.
Since then, the WCR has requested changes to the proposed action that
are substantive enough to require additional public comment.
The purpose of the proposed work is to experimentally outplant
white abalone along the Southern California Coast and determine which
methods, locations, habitats, sizes, and densities are optimal for
white abalone growth and survival. The activities would benefit the
listed species by increasing numbers of white abalone in the wild and
informing future large-scale outplanting efforts designed to create
self-sustaining populations in locations where white abalone are at
risk of being extirpated. The NMFS WCR proposes to evaluate three
approaches. First, captive-bred juveniles would be outplanted using two
different types of outplanting modules: (1) Baby abalone recruitment
trackers (BARTs); and (2) smaller, short-term abalone fixed enclosures
(SAFEs). Second, captive-reared larvae would be outplanted using a
larval pump module and a net ``tent'' designed to retain larvae until
settlement. Third, captive-bred adults or wild-collected broodstock
would be hand-placed at sites where wild white abalone have been
observed previously. All outplanting would be conducted within the
Southern California Bight and would use white abalone maintained and
collected under Enhancement Permit 14344-2R, issued under section
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA to the University of California, Davis--Bodega
Marine Laboratory. Growth, survival, genetics, health, and habitat
quality would be monitored at regular intervals following outplanting.
Post-outplant monitoring would primarily consist of observing,
counting, and measuring the abalone, and collecting tissue and/or fecal
samples using non-lethal methods. Post-outplant monitoring will occur
on a quarterly to annual basis for each outplanting method and will
involve collecting shell length, genetic samples, fecal samples, time
lapse camera images, and empty shells. The researchers do not intend to
kill any listed white abalone, but some may die as an inadvertent
result of the research and enhancement activities.
Substantive changes to the permit application include requests to:
(1) Outplant greater numbers of small, captive-bred adults that may be
too large for outplanting to the BARTs or SAFEs; and (2) collect white
abalone that are dead (i.e., not attached to substrate and
unresponsive) or obviously unhealthy (i.e., noticeably shrunken, unable
to adhere firmly to substrate, and unable to right itself when placed
upside down on substrate--indicating death within days). These
specimens would undergo further analysis to determine the cause of
death.
This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS
will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments
submitted to determine whether the application meets the requirements
of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit
decision will not be made until after the end of the 30-day comment
period. NMFS will publish notice of its final action in the Federal
Register.
Dated: March 11, 2019.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-04763 Filed 3-13-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
