[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 47 (Friday, March 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14134-14135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5868]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 030501B]


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 
(1299); NMFS has issued modification #2 to 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 under the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA): NMFS has received an application for a scientific research 
permit from Dr. Raymond Carthy, of the Florida Cooperative Fish & 
Wildlife Research Unit; NMFS has issued modification #2 to permit 1190 
to the Regional Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service 
Southwest Region (NMFS-SWR) (1190).

DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on any of the new 
applications or modification requests must be received at the 
appropriate address or fax number no later than 5 p.m. eastern standard 
time on April 9, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on any of the new applications or 
modification requests should be sent to the appropriate office as 
indicated below. Comments may also be sent via fax to the number 
indicated for the application or modification request. Comments will 
not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the Internet. The 
applications and related documents are available for review in the 
indicated office, by appointment: For permits 1299, 1190: Endangered 
Species Division, F/PR3, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910 (phone:301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD 
(phone: 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. Scientific research and/or enhancement 
permits are issued under Section 10(a)(1)(A) 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:

Sea turtles

    Threatened and endangered Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
    Endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
    Endangered Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)
    Endangered Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
    Threatened Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
    Threatened and endangered Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys 
olivacea)

New Applications Received

Application 1299

    The applicant requests a 3-year permit to take juvenile and adult 
turtles along the St. Joseph Peninsula, in St. Joseph Bay, Florida. The 
applicant proposes to examine the inter-nesting movements and habitat 
usage of adult loggerhead turtles along the northwestern coast of 
Florida, while also examining species composition, population densities 
and habitat utilization in coastal bays in the same area.

Permits and Modified Permits Issued

Permit #1190

    Notice was published on August 31, 2000 (65 FR 52988) that the 
Regional Administrator, NMFS-SWR had applied for a modification to 
scientific research permit #1190. The modification request asked for an 
increase in the authorized take of all five listed turtle species. The 
increases were necessary due to higher numbers of turtles expected to 
be handled by observers expected under court mandated requirements. On 
August 4, 2000 a court order was issued and filed in U.S. District 
Court, District of Hawaii, requiring the National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) to increase its observer coverage to over 20% for the 
Hawaii longline fishery (historically, NMFS has had a 3%-5%

[[Page 14135]]

coverage level for the fishery). The modification increased the 
proposed numbers of turtles to be handled, measured, tagged and have 
samples collected by observers on longline vessels to: 40 green 
turtles; 100 leatherback turtles; 600 loggerhead turtles; 40 hawksbill 
turtles and 100 olive ridley turtles. The increases in maximum takes 
requested are proportional to the increase in observer coverage 
required.
    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.
    Modification #2 to Permit #1190 was issued on February 20, 2001, 
authorizing take of listed species. Permit 1190 expires March 31, 2004.

    Dated: March 2, 2001.
Margaret Lorenz,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-5868 Filed 3-8-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S