[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 107 (Monday, June 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29934-29935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13969]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 052501C]


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 
(1324); Issuance of permits 1275, 1295, 1299 and modification #2 to 
permit 1198.

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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. Nancy Thompson, National Marine Fisheries Service-
Southeast Fisheries Science Center; NMFS has issued permit 1299 to Dr. 
Raymond Carthy of the Florida Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit 
(1299); NMFS has issued permit 1295 to Dr. Michael P. Sissenwine of 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center (1295); NMFS has issued permit 1275 
to Mr. Joseph Hightower of the North Carolina Cooperative Fish and 
Wildlife Research Unit (1275); and, NMFS has issued modification #2 to 
permit 1198 to Dr. Allen Foley of the Florida Fish and Wildlife 
Conservation Commission (1198).

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 July 5, 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:
    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.

[[Page 29935]]

 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)

Fish

    Endangered Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)

New Applications Received

Application 1324

    The Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) has applied for a 
two-year permit to conduct sea turtle bycatch reduction experiments 
associated with longline fishing techniques. The SEFSC proposes to 
conduct experiments to focus on the effectiveness of specific measures 
to reduce the bycatch of sea turtles in the Pelagic Longline fishery. 
The applicant proposes to take 415 loggerhead, 301 leatherback, 2 
Kemp's ridley, 2 green and 2 hawksbill turtles over the life of the 
permit. Turtles taken by longline gear during this experiment will be 
handled, measured, flipper and PIT tagged, have a skin biopsy collected 
and be released. The applicant also requests authorization to attach 20 
conventional satellite tags and 75 pop-up satellites to a total of 95 
of the already taken loggerhead turtles. Any turtles brought aboard the 
vessel dead will be removed from marine environment for research 
purposes. The application is available for download and review from the 
Office of Protected Resources permits webpage: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/PR3/Permits/ESApermit.html.

Permits and Modified Permits Issued

Permit #1275

    Notice was published on January 25, 2001 (66 FR 7742) that Mr. 
Joseph Hightower, of North Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife 
Research Unit applied for a scientific research permit (1275). The 
applicant proposed to conduct a two year survey of the Neuse River to 
prepare a baseline study of the possible existence of shortnose 
sturgeon in the river. The research will use the NMFS sampling 
protocols for determining presence or absence of shortnose sturgeon in 
a selected river. The goals of the study are to determine whether 
shortnose sturgeon are present within the Neuse River system, and to 
determine if suitable shortnose sturgeon habitat is available within 
the river system. Permit 1275 was issued on May 24, 2001 and expires 
December 31, 2002.

Permit #1295

    Notice was published on March 5, 2001 (66 FR 13305) that Dr. 
Michael P. Sissenwine, of Northeast Fisheries Science Center applied 
for a scientific research permit (1295). The goal of the five-year plan 
for sea turtles in the Northeast is to work cooperatively with other 
regions to support and direct research on sea turtles in order to 
identify and assess the status of sea turtle stocks, reduce the 
estimated mortality associated with fishing activities and other 
anthropogenic and natural sources and to recover ESA listed species. 
Permit 1295 was issued on May 24, 2001, and expires May 31, 2006.

Permit #1299

    Notice was published on March 9, 2001 (66 FR 14134) that Dr. 
Raymond Carthy, of the Florida Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research 
Unit applied for a scientific research permit (1299). The applicant 
requested a three year permit to take juvenile and adult turtles along 
the St. Joseph Peninsula, in St. Joseph Bay, Florida. The applicant 
proposes to examine the internesting 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. Permit 1299 was issued on 
May 24, 2001, and expires December 31, 2003.

Modification #2 to Permit #1198

    The Florida Marine Research Institute currently possesses a five-
year scientific research permit to take up to 700 loggerhead, 250 
green, 5 leatherback, 25 hawksbill, and 100 Kemp's ridley sea turtles 
annually from Florida coastal waters. Turtles captured will include all 
life history stages from post-hatchling through adult. Of the 700 
loggerheads authorized annually, 400 are hatchlings. This research will 
further the understanding of life histories, habitat requirements, 
migratory behaviors, and threats to these five species of sea turtles 
occurring in Florida waters. The permit holder currently has 
authorization to capture turtles in tended, straight-set, large-mesh 
tangle nets; tended, drifting large-mesh tangle nets; tended, 
encircling (strike) large-meshed nets; dip nets; and by hand-capture. 
Captured turtles are weighed, measured, photographed, and flipper and 
PIT tagged. Select turtles have blood and stomach samples (via gastric 
lavage) collected and receive radio, sonic, and/or satellite 
transmitters. Additionally, laparoscopy and tumor collection are 
authorized to be performed on selected turtles.
    For modification #2, the applicant requests the Dr. Allen Foley be 
designated as permit holder in place of Mr. J. Alan Huff, who is no 
longer responsible for this permit activity. The applicant also 
requests authorization to use ten crittercams in lieu of ten previously 
authorized radio/sonic transmitters. Modification #2 to Permit 1198 was 
issued on May 18, 2001, and permit 1198 expires March 31, 2004.

    Dated: May 25, 2001.
Phil Williams,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-13969 Filed 6-1-01; 8:45 am]
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