[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 73 (Friday, April 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20138-20139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9351]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 041000A]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Receipt of an application for a scientific research permit 
(1236) and an application to modify a permit (1190).

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding 
permits for takes of endangered and threatened species for the purposes 
of scientific research and/or enhancement:
    NMFS has received a permit application from John A. Musick, Ph.D., 
of the College of William and Mary at Williamsburg, VA (JM-CWM)(1226) 
and NMFS has received an application for permit modifications from Dr. 
Charles Karnella, of NMFS' Pacific Islands Area Office (CK-PIAO)(1190).

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on either the new 
application or modification request must be received at the appropriate 
address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5 pm eastern 
standard time on May 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on any of the new applications or 
modification requests should be sent to the Office of Protected 
Resources, Endangered Species Division, F/PR3, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910. Comments may also be sent via fax to 301-713-
0376. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the 
internet. The applications and related documents are available for 
review by appointment in the Office of Protected Resources, Endangered 
Species Division, F/PR3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910 (ph. 301-713-1401).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD (ph: 
301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376, e-mail: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (ESA), is based on 
a finding that such permits/modifications: (1) Are applied for in good 
faith; (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species 
which are the subject of the permits; and (3) are consistent with the 
purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. Authority to 
take listed species is subject to conditions set forth in the permits. 
Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with and are subject 
to the ESA and NMFS regulations governing listed fish and wildlife 
permits (50 CFR parts 222-226).
    Those individuals requesting a hearing on an application listed in 
this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that 
application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such 
hearing is at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in the permit 
action summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily 
reflect the views of NMFS.

Species Covered in this Notice

    The following species are covered in this notice: endangered and 
threatened Green (Chelonia mydas) and olive ridley (Lepidochelys 
olivacea) sea turtles; endangered Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), 
Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), and Leatherback (Dermochelys 
coriacea) sea turtles; and threatened Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta 
caretta).

New Application Received

    JM-CWM (1236) has requested a 5-year permit to take listed sea 
turtles in the coastal waters of Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay and in 
the US Virgin Islands (USVI). Research conducted in the Chesapeake Bay 
and coastal waters of Virginia will study inter-nesting movements of 
sea turtles in Virginia via satellite telemetry and to assess the 
effects of beach replenishment on turtle activities. Research conducted 
in the USVI will study habitat utilization of juvenile Hawksbill 
turtles at the Buck Island Reef National Monument off of St. Croix, 
USVI. Both studies will capture, handle, tag (PIT, flipper, satellite, 
radio and acoustic), collect biological samples (via humeral bone 
biopsy, blood samples and laparoscopy) and release loggerhead, green, 
Kemp's ridley, hawksbill and leatherback turtles.

Modification Request Received

    CK-PIAO requests a modification to Permit 1190. Permit 1190 
authorizes the take of up to 10 olive ridley turtles annually that have 
been captured incidentally by longline fishery vessels in the Hawaiian 
region. These activities will aid in monitoring the Hawaiian longline 
fishery, a term and condition of the November 3, 1998 biological 
opinion on that fishery. In addition, these research activities are 
described in the Pacific Sea Turtle Recovery Plans. The incidental take 
of these turtles is covered by the incidental take statement of the 
November 3, 1998 opinion. The purpose of the research is to document 
and evaluate the incidental take of pelagic turtles by the longline 
fishery, to help estimate the impact of the fishery on listed turtles 
as individuals and as populations, and to determine methods to reduce 
that impact. Research will evaluate how incidental captures affect sea 
turtle anatomy and physiology as a function of season, location of 
take, water temperature, species, size, time of day, and gear 
configuration. The results of the research will help NMFS to better 
meet the goals and objectives of the Pacific Sea Turtle Recovery Plans, 
the Hooking Mortality Workshop, and the requirements of Section 7 
Biological Opinions developed for this fishery, and ultimately, to 
fulfill ESA responsibilities to protect, conserve, and recover listed 
species.
    Incidentally-captured turtles will be examined, tagged, weighed, 
measured, resuscitated using approved techniques, have tissue samples 
taken, and be released. Some of these turtles will have transmitters 
attached. Dead turtles will be removed from the marine environment for 
research purposes, including necropsy and collection of life history 
data. Tissue samples may be used lab studies including the following: 
toxicology, histopathology, and genetic studies to identify nesting 
origins of incidentally taken turtles. The modification would increase 
the authorized annual take of olive ridleys from 10 to 15 annually due 
to greater coverage of the Hawaii longline fishery than originally 
anticipated in the original permit issued March 8, 1999.


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    Dated: April 10, 2000.
Craig Johnson,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-9351 Filed 4-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F