Endangered Species; File No. 27551, 56804-56806 [2023-17899]

Download as PDF 56804 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 160 / Monday, August 21, 2023 / Notices ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 and returned to the water at the site of capture with as little handling as possible. The researchers are not proposing to kill any of the listed fish being captured, but a small number of fish may be killed as an inadvertent result of these activities. Permit 27150 The IDFG is seeking a 5-year permit to conduct three studies in the Clearwater River basin in Idaho. They are (1) Standard Resident Fish Stream Surveys, (2) Juvenile O. mykiss Composition in the Lower Clearwater River Drainage, and (3) Seasonal Resident Fish Movement and Angler Encounter Rates. Studies 1 and 3 would be conducted concurrently, and all three would involve capturing juvenile SnkR steelhead via boat electrofishing. Approximately half of the captured fish would simply be handled, measured, identified, and released. The rest of the captured fish would also be tissuesampled, and some would be marked for the purpose of determining recapture rates. Some of the captured fish may also be anesthetized to reduce handling and sampling stress. The purposes of the work are (1) to gather information on fish distribution, abundance, and composition—with an emphasis on evaluating the distribution and impacts of non-native predator fish; (2) assess the genetic and behavioral influences that hatchery-produced steelhead in the Clearwater River watershed have on ESA-listed, natural O. mykiss in the area; and (3) monitor westslope cutthroat trout distribution and movement. The three projects, collectively, would benefit ESA-listed steelhead by helping managers monitor the species’ abundance, composition, density, distribution, age structure, growth, and sources of mortality. Additionally, the work would help managers better understand interactions between the listed fish, their non-native predators, other conspecific (but not listed) fish, and the angling community. All the information to be gained would be used to inform management decisions regarding fishing regulations and seasons, predator control measures, and various recovery actions for the listed SnkR steelhead. The researchers do not intend to kill any of the fish being captured, but a small number may die as an inadvertent result of the activities. Permits 27299 and 27469 Cramer Fish Sciences is seeking two new permits that would authorize them to take juvenile and adult SacR winterrun Chinook salmon during the course of conducting two Chinook egg-to-fry VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:17 Aug 18, 2023 Jkt 259001 survival studies in the Sacramento River, CA, between Keswick Dam and the confluence of the river and Clear Creek. The purpose of both these studies is to estimate Chinook salmon egg mortality and temperature exposure as well as intergravel water velocity and dissolved oxygen concentration in artificial redds placed in Chinook falland winter-run spawning habitat. Additionally, egg survival would be evaluated in natural fall- and winter-run redds that are predicted to be exposed to temperatures above mortality thresholds. Though SacR winter-run Chinook are not the target species, a few individual fish might be encountered or observed during stream or snorkel surveys. The research is not expected to kill any ESA-listed fish. Permit 27513 Stillwater Sciences is seeking a new permit that would authorize them to take juvenile NC steelhead, CC Chinook salmon, and CCC coho salmon while assessing aquatic habitat conditions and fish use in the lower Navarro River and its estuary in California—including some of the river’s lower tributary reaches (Marsh, Flume, Murray, Barton, Ray, and Mustard gulches). The research would benefit ESA-listed species by providing information on opportunities and constraints for salmonid habitat restoration in the estuary and lower mainstem Navarro River corridor. Documenting seasonal salmonid distribution, habitat use, and relative abundance of fish species would help managers develop and prioritize restoration actions for the lower Navarro River and estuary and contribute to those actions’ effectiveness. Juvenile fish would be collected via dip net, beach seine, and minnow trap and observed during snorkel surveys. Juvenile fish would be captured, handled, and released; a subsample would be anesthetized, tissue-sampled and PIT-tagged. The researchers do not intend to kill any ESA-listed fish, but a small number may die as an inadvertent result of the proposed activities. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS will evaluate the applications, associated documents, and comments submitted to determine whether the applications meet the requirements of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit decisions 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. PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Dated: August 15, 2023. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–17885 Filed 8–18–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XD247] Endangered Species; File No. 27551 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; receipt of application and conservation plan for renewal of an incidental take permit. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR) has applied in due form for a permit pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The permit application is for the incidental take of ESA-listed shortnose (Acipenser brevirostrum) and Atlantic sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus) associated with the otherwise lawful commercial shad fishery in Georgia. The duration of the proposed permit is 10 years. NMFS is furnishing this notice in order to allow other agencies and the public an opportunity to review and comment on the application materials. All comments received will become part of the public record and will be available for review. DATES: Written comments must be received at the appropriate address (see ADDRESSES) on or before September 20, 2023. ADDRESSES: The application is available for download and review at https:// www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ endangered-species-conservation/ incidental-take-permits and at https:// www.regulations.gov. The application is also available upon request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA–NMFS– 2023–0100, by any of the following methods: Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and NOAA–NMFS–2023–0100 in the Search box. Click on the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\21AUN1.SGM 21AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 160 / Monday, August 21, 2023 / Notices Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on https://www.regulations.gov without change. All Personal Identifying Information (e.g., name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. We will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Celeste Stout, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources at celeste.stout@noaa.gov or (301) 427–8436; Alison Verkade, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources at alison.verkade@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations prohibit the ‘taking’ of a species listed as endangered or threatened. The ESA defines ‘‘take’’ to mean harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. NMFS may issue permits, under limited circumstances to take listed species incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA provides for authorizing incidental take of listed species. NMFS regulations governing permits for threatened and endangered species are promulgated at 50 CFR 222.307. Species Covered in This Notice The following species are included in the conservation plan and permit application: Atlantic (Acipenser oxyrinchus) and shortnose (A. brevirostrum) sturgeon. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Background NMFS received a draft permit application from GA DNR on January 4, 2023. Based on a review of the application, NMFS requested further information. The applicant submitted a complete application on June 15, 2023 for take of ESA-listed shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon that may be caught incidental to the Georgia shad fishery. The State of Georgia has amended their commercial fishing regulations for the Georgia shad fishery to minimize the incidental capture of ESA-listed shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:17 Aug 18, 2023 Jkt 259001 Regulations include the closure of upstream waters in the Altamaha and Savannah rivers, as well as the closure of Ogeechee River to commercial shad harvest. Additional regulations include closing portions of each river for 2 days each week and restricting the length of nets used which prevents nets from extending more than 1⁄2 way across a river. The Georgia shad fishery is open from January 1 to as late as April 30 each year, but typically ends March 31. Georgia regulations require that sturgeon captured in shad nets be released unharmed into the waters from which they were taken. GA DNR requests 3-year running averages for takes to account for the potential for a high-take year before or after low-take years. GA DNR estimates that incidental bycatch would not exceed 60 shortnose sturgeon per year (no more than 180 in a 3-year period) and 40 Atlantic sturgeon per year (no more than 120 in a 3-year period) in the Altamaha River, 5 shortnose sturgeon per year (no more than 15 in a 3-year period) and 25 Atlantic sturgeon per year (no more than 75 in a 3-year period) in the Savannah River. A mortality rate of approximately 2.3 percent is anticipated based on the best available data. GA DNR would use a combination of a trip ticket system (self-reporting by fishermen) and direct observations to monitor the number of sturgeon incidentally captured each month in the commercial shad fishery. Since 2013, the GA DNR has conducted fisherydependent efforts to observe a minimum of 10 percent of the commercial shad trips occurring annually in both the Altamaha and Savannah rivers. Conservation Plan GA DNR’s conservation plan describes measures designed to minimize, monitor, and mitigate the incidental take of ESA-listed sturgeon. The conservation plan includes Georgia’s amended commercial fishing regulations for the Georgia shad fishery, which are expected to minimize the bycatch of sturgeon by closing to shad fishing sections of the rivers that previously had the highest bycatch rates. These closures would also protect known and suspected sturgeon spawning sites. Georgia regulations require that sturgeon captured in shad nets be released unharmed into the waters from which they were taken. GA DNR would use a combination of a trip ticket system (self-reporting by fishermen) and direct observations to observe a minimum of 10 percent of the commercial shad trips occurring annually in both the Altamaha and PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 56805 Savannah rivers for the incidental take of sturgeon in the commercial shad fishery. In these efforts, GA DNR staff observe active fishing efforts and record information on captured sturgeon. Information collected on captured sturgeon include species identification; lengths (total and fork); and condition of the fish. Additional monitoring and mitigation actions include having GA DNR staff scan the fish for the presence of a Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT) tag, and if one is not found, GA DNR staff would insert a PIT tag into the fish. They will also collect a fin-clip from captured sturgeon to provide to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for genetic study. Under current collaborative efforts, GA DNR provides fin-clips and outside funding sources are used to process said fin-clips. Should outside funds not be available for processing GA DNR would provide fin-clips and fund the processing of up to 15 samples/year. These fin-clips aid in better studying and understanding the genetic diversity and conservation of sturgeon found within Georgia and other states. Additional mitigation efforts include the education and outreach efforts conducted annually by GA DNR through materials presented to commercial shad fishermen. These materials, including detailed identification aids and specific instructions on properly handling captured sturgeon, provide needed information critical for helping fishermen better understand how they can help protect and sustain these endangered species. Additionally, GA DNR Law Enforcement continues to routinely and randomly patrol both the open and closed sections of both rivers. GA DNR considered and rejected two other alternatives: (1) No change to commercial shad regulations, and (2) establish new upper boundaries for commercial shad fishing on the Altamaha, Ogeechee, and Savannah rivers and close the Satilla and St. Mary’s rivers to commercial shad fishing. Funding Monitoring would be funded by GA DNR’s Annual Operating Budget. National Environmental Policy Act Issuing a permit would constitute a Federal action requiring NMFS to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) as implemented by 40 CFR parts 1500–1508 and NOAA Administrative Order 216–6, Environmental Review Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (1999), an E:\FR\FM\21AUN1.SGM 21AUN1 56806 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 160 / Monday, August 21, 2023 / Notices initial determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, however, the final NEPA and permit determinations will not be made until after the end of the comment period. Next Steps This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments received during the comment period to determine whether the application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the ESA. If NMFS determines that the requirements are met, a permit will be issued for incidental takes of ESA-listed sturgeon. NMFS will publish a record of its final action in the Federal Register. Dated: August 15, 2023. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–17899 Filed 8–18–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary [Docket ID: DoD–2023–08083] Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: 30-Day information collection notice. AGENCY: The DoD has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act. DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by September 20, 2023. ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Duncan, 571–372–7574, or whs.mc-alex.esd.mbx.dd-dodinformation-collections@mail.mil. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:17 Aug 18, 2023 Jkt 259001 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Freedom of Information/ Privacy Act Records Request for Background Investigations; OMB Control Number 0705–0001. Type of Request: Revision. Number of Respondents: 10,097. Responses per Respondent: 1. Annual Responses: 10,097. Average Burden per Response: 5 minutes. Annual Burden Hours: 841. Needs and Uses: The purpose of the collection is to enable the DCSA, Freedom of Information and Privacy (FOI/P) Office for Investigations, to locate applicable records and provide the requester responsive records pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), and/or the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). It may also be used for the submission of a Privacy Act Amendment request, and in any FOIA or Privacy Act appeals or related litigation. The Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Records Request for Background Investigations form will also be used to refer records under the release authority of another Federal Agency. Affected Public: Individuals or households. Frequency: On occasion. Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Jasmeet Seehra. You may also submit comments and recommendations, identified by Docket ID number and title, by the following method: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, Docket ID number, and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at https:// www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information. DOD Clearance Officer: Ms. Angela Duncan. Requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Ms. Duncan at whs.mc-alex.esd.mbx.dddod-information-collections@mail.mil. Dated: August 15, 2023. Natalie M. Ragland, Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. 2023–17855 Filed 8–18–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–06–P PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Office of the Secretary [Docket ID: DoD–2023–OS–0072] Proposed Collection; Comment Request Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (OUSD(P&R)), Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: 60-Day information collection notice. AGENCY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by October 20, 2023. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and title, by any of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Mail: Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Privacy, Civil Liberties, and Transparency, 4800 Mark Center Drive, Mailbox #24, Suite 08D09, Alexandria, VA 22350–1700. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and associated collection instruments, please write to: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower & Reserve Affairs, Attn: Director, CivilMilitary Programs, 1500 Defense Pentagon, Room 2E565, Washington, DC 20301–1500 or contact Capt. Rick Howell, richard.a.howell6.mil@ mail.mil, (703) 693–7493. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) Program Forms; SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\21AUN1.SGM 21AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 160 (Monday, August 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56804-56806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17899]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD247]


Endangered Species; File No. 27551

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application and conservation plan for 
renewal of an incidental take permit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Georgia Department of Natural 
Resources (GA DNR) has applied in due form for a permit pursuant to the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The permit 
application is for the incidental take of ESA-listed shortnose 
(Acipenser brevirostrum) and Atlantic sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus) 
associated with the otherwise lawful commercial shad fishery in 
Georgia. The duration of the proposed permit is 10 years. NMFS is 
furnishing this notice in order to allow other agencies and the public 
an opportunity to review and comment on the application materials. All 
comments received will become part of the public record and will be 
available for review.

DATES: Written comments must be received at the appropriate address 
(see ADDRESSES) on or before September 20, 2023.

ADDRESSES:  The application is available for download and review at 
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/endangered-species-conservation/incidental-take-permits and at https://www.regulations.gov. 
The application is also available upon request (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT). You may submit comments on this document, 
identified by NOAA-NMFS-2023-0100, by any of the following methods:
    Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and 
NOAA-NMFS-2023-0100 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.

[[Page 56805]]

    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on https://www.regulations.gov without change. All Personal Identifying 
Information (e.g., name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the 
commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential 
Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. 
We will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required fields, if 
you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will 
be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Celeste Stout, NMFS, Office of 
Protected Resources at [email protected] or (301) 427-8436; Alison 
Verkade, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations 
prohibit the `taking' of a species listed as endangered or threatened. 
The ESA defines ``take'' to mean harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, 
wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any 
such conduct. NMFS may issue permits, under limited circumstances to 
take listed species incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise 
lawful activities. Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA provides for 
authorizing incidental take of listed species. NMFS regulations 
governing permits for threatened and endangered species are promulgated 
at 50 CFR 222.307.

Species Covered in This Notice

    The following species are included in the conservation plan and 
permit application: Atlantic (Acipenser oxyrinchus) and shortnose (A. 
brevirostrum) sturgeon.

Background

    NMFS received a draft permit application from GA DNR on January 4, 
2023. Based on a review of the application, NMFS requested further 
information. The applicant submitted a complete application on June 15, 
2023 for take of ESA-listed shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon that may be 
caught incidental to the Georgia shad fishery. The State of Georgia has 
amended their commercial fishing regulations for the Georgia shad 
fishery to minimize the incidental capture of ESA-listed shortnose and 
Atlantic sturgeon. Regulations include the closure of upstream waters 
in the Altamaha and Savannah rivers, as well as the closure of Ogeechee 
River to commercial shad harvest. Additional regulations include 
closing portions of each river for 2 days each week and restricting the 
length of nets used which prevents nets from extending more than \1/2\ 
way across a river.
    The Georgia shad fishery is open from January 1 to as late as April 
30 each year, but typically ends March 31. Georgia regulations require 
that sturgeon captured in shad nets be released unharmed into the 
waters from which they were taken. GA DNR requests 3-year running 
averages for takes to account for the potential for a high-take year 
before or after low-take years. GA DNR estimates that incidental 
bycatch would not exceed 60 shortnose sturgeon per year (no more than 
180 in a 3-year period) and 40 Atlantic sturgeon per year (no more than 
120 in a 3-year period) in the Altamaha River, 5 shortnose sturgeon per 
year (no more than 15 in a 3-year period) and 25 Atlantic sturgeon per 
year (no more than 75 in a 3-year period) in the Savannah River. A 
mortality rate of approximately 2.3 percent is anticipated based on the 
best available data.
    GA DNR would use a combination of a trip ticket system (self-
reporting by fishermen) and direct observations to monitor the number 
of sturgeon incidentally captured each month in the commercial shad 
fishery. Since 2013, the GA DNR has conducted fishery-dependent efforts 
to observe a minimum of 10 percent of the commercial shad trips 
occurring annually in both the Altamaha and Savannah rivers.

Conservation Plan

    GA DNR's conservation plan describes measures designed to minimize, 
monitor, and mitigate the incidental take of ESA-listed sturgeon. The 
conservation plan includes Georgia's amended commercial fishing 
regulations for the Georgia shad fishery, which are expected to 
minimize the bycatch of sturgeon by closing to shad fishing sections of 
the rivers that previously had the highest bycatch rates. These 
closures would also protect known and suspected sturgeon spawning 
sites. Georgia regulations require that sturgeon captured in shad nets 
be released unharmed into the waters from which they were taken. GA DNR 
would use a combination of a trip ticket system (self-reporting by 
fishermen) and direct observations to observe a minimum of 10 percent 
of the commercial shad trips occurring annually in both the Altamaha 
and Savannah rivers for the incidental take of sturgeon in the 
commercial shad fishery. In these efforts, GA DNR staff observe active 
fishing efforts and record information on captured sturgeon. 
Information collected on captured sturgeon include species 
identification; lengths (total and fork); and condition of the fish. 
Additional monitoring and mitigation actions include having GA DNR 
staff scan the fish for the presence of a Passive Integrated 
Transponders (PIT) tag, and if one is not found, GA DNR staff would 
insert a PIT tag into the fish. They will also collect a fin-clip from 
captured sturgeon to provide to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for 
genetic study. Under current collaborative efforts, GA DNR provides 
fin-clips and outside funding sources are used to process said fin-
clips. Should outside funds not be available for processing GA DNR 
would provide fin-clips and fund the processing of up to 15 samples/
year. These fin-clips aid in better studying and understanding the 
genetic diversity and conservation of sturgeon found within Georgia and 
other states. Additional mitigation efforts include the education and 
outreach efforts conducted annually by GA DNR through materials 
presented to commercial shad fishermen. These materials, including 
detailed identification aids and specific instructions on properly 
handling captured sturgeon, provide needed information critical for 
helping fishermen better understand how they can help protect and 
sustain these endangered species. Additionally, GA DNR Law Enforcement 
continues to routinely and randomly patrol both the open and closed 
sections of both rivers.
    GA DNR considered and rejected two other alternatives: (1) No 
change to commercial shad regulations, and (2) establish new upper 
boundaries for commercial shad fishing on the Altamaha, Ogeechee, and 
Savannah rivers and close the Satilla and St. Mary's rivers to 
commercial shad fishing.

Funding

    Monitoring would be funded by GA DNR's Annual Operating Budget.

National Environmental Policy Act

    Issuing a permit would constitute a Federal action requiring NMFS 
to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.) as implemented by 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 and NOAA 
Administrative Order 216-6, Environmental Review Procedures for 
Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (1999), an

[[Page 56806]]

initial determination has been made that the activity proposed is 
categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental 
assessment or environmental impact statement, however, the final NEPA 
and permit determinations will not be made until after the end of the 
comment period.

Next Steps

    This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS 
will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments 
received during the comment period to determine whether the application 
meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the ESA. If NMFS determines 
that the requirements are met, a permit will be issued for incidental 
takes of ESA-listed sturgeon. NMFS will publish a record of its final 
action in the Federal Register.

    Dated: August 15, 2023.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-17899 Filed 8-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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