[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 136 (Monday, July 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37011-37012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17732]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 070501B]


Endangered Species; Permits

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

ACTION: Issuance of permits 1296 and 1304; Issuance of modification #1 
to permit 1227; and modification #2 to permit 1245.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following actions regarding 
permits for lethal and non-lethal takes of endangered and threatened 
species for the purposes of scientific research and/or enhancement 
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA): NMFS has issued permit 1296 to 
Dr. R. Michael Laurs, of Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NMFS-
SWFSC); NMFS has issued permit 1304 to Mr. William C. Coles, of 
Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and 
Wildlife, U.S. Virgin Islands; NMFS has issued modification #1 to 
permit #1227 to Dr. Peter Dutton, of NMFS-SWFSC; and NMFS has issued 
modification #2 to Mr. J. David Whitaker, of South Carolina Department 
of Natural Resources (SCDNR).

ADDRESSES: The permits, 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. 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) -

[[Page 37012]]

    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)

Permits and Modified Permits Issued

Permit # 1296

    Notice was published on March 5, 2001 (66 FR 13305) that Dr. R. 
Michael Laurs, of the National Marine Fisheries Service - Southwest 
Fisheries Science Center(NMFS-SWFSC) applied for a scientific research 
permit (1296). NMFS-SWFSC overseeing and working with long line 
captains and crew members to perform sea turtle research activities at 
sea tor better fulfill NMFS ESA responsibilities to protect, conserve, 
and recover listed species of sea turtles and better meet the goals and 
objectives of the U.S. Pacific Sea Turtle Recovery Plans and the 
requirements of present and future Section 7 biological Opinions 
developed for this fishery. Permit 1296 was issued on July 2, 2001, 
authorizing non-lethal take of 42 olive ridley, 61 leatherback, 13 
green, and 122 loggerhead sea turtles annually. Permit 1296 expires 
July 31, 2006. -

Permit #1304

    Notice was published on May 2, 2001 (66 FR 21912) that Mr. William 
C. Coles, of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural 
Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife applied for a scientific 
research permit (1304). The applicant requested a permit to take 
endangered and threatened sea turtles in the U.S. Virgin Islands for 
scientific research. The applicant proposes to capture, handle, tag, 
collection of biological samples and release green, hawksbill, 
leatherback and olive ridley turtles. Permit 1304 was issued on July 3, 
2001, authorizing non-lethal take of 100 green, 50 hawksbill and 1 
leatherback turtles annually. Permit 1304 expires July 31, 2006.

Permit #1227

    Notice was published on May 2, 2001 (66 FR 21912) that Dr. Peter 
Dutton, of NMFS-SWFSC applied for a modification to 1227. Modification 
#1 authorizes Dr. Dutton to increase the number of leatherback turtles 
captured under permit #1227 from 5 to 100 over the life of the permit. 
It also extends the expiration date of the permit to December 31, 2005 
and the research area from Monterey Bay, California to the nearshore 
waters of California and Oregon. This study proposes to capture up to 
100 leatherback turtles for genetic stock identification and equip up 
to 20 of them with transmitters to track movements and dive behavior. 
This study is aimed at addressing priorities outlined in the U.S. 
Pacific leatherback Recovery Plan; to identify critical forage 
habitats, genetic stock structure, migratory corridors and potential 
fishery impacts on this species in the Pacific. Modification #1 to 
Permit 1227 was issued on July 2, 2001, authorizing non-lethal take of 
an additional 95 leatherback turtles for a total of 100 over the 5 year 
life of the permit. Permit 1227 expires December 31, 2005.

Permit #1245

    Notice was published on May 10, 2001 (66 FR 23882) that Mr. J. 
David Whitaker, of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources 
applied for a modification to permit 1245. Modification #2 the 
applicant requests authorization to intubate and ventilate any turtles 
verified to be unconscious after retrieval from the trawl 
(approximately 5 a year); authorization to collect tissue biopsies from 
any abnormal growth noted on a turtle captured during this study 
(approximately 5 a year) and authorization to collect keratin samples 
and tissue biopsies from 50 Kemp's ridley and 50 loggerhead turtles 
currently authorized for capture under permit #1245. Life history and 
population information gained from this study will improve our 
understanding of these species and will allow NMFS to improve our 
conservation and recovery actions. The applicant possesses a 3-year 
permit to establish a scientifically-valid indices of abundance for the 
northern sub-population of the threatened loggerhead turtle and the 
endangered Kemp's ridley, green and leatherback sea turtles which occur 
in the Atlantic Ocean off the southeastern United States. This study is 
intended to capture juveniles and adults, thereby providing a more 
comprehensive assessment of total population abundance and an 
assessment of the health of individual animals. Modification #2 to 
Permit 1245 was issued on July 3, 2001, authorizing the lethal take of 
4 loggerhead turtles annually and the non-lethal take of 250 
loggerhead, 50 Kemp's ridley, 10 green, 5 hawksbill and 1 leatherback 
turtle annually. Permit 1245 expires October 31, 2002.

    Dated: July 10, 2001.
Phil Williams,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-17732 Filed 7-13-01; 8:45 am]
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