Final Environmental Assessment on Permitting Translocation of Sturgeon for Scientific Research and Enhancement

NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources is announcing availability of the final programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) and Finding of No Significant Impact. This PEA analyzes the environmental impacts of translocating shortnose (Acipenser brevirostrum) and Atlantic (A. oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) sturgeon to achieve recovery objectives. Proposed translocation would be authorized as directed take under the sturgeon Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(A) permitting program.

For the purposes of the sturgeon permitting program, translocation is the intentional capture, holding, handling, transport, and release of individual fish:

• Within a river system (For example, moving fish across a dam or fish passage) or
• Between river systems from Maine to Florida, the U.S. historical range of Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon.