[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28809-28810]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-13157]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 051503C]


Endangered Species; Permits

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 28810]]

Atmospheric Administration, Commerce

ACTION: Issuance of Permit No:1417.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following action regarding 
permits for takes of endangered and threatened species for the purposes 
of incidental take under the Endangered Species Act (ESA): NMFS has 
issued permit 1417 to Dr. Anne RudloeGulf Specimen Marine Laboratories, 
Inc.(GSML), Florida.

DATES: Effective May 15, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the permit and environmental 
assessment should be addressed to the Chief, Endangered Species 
Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Therese Conant (ph. 301-713-1401, fax 
301-713-0376, e-mail [email protected]), or Eric Hawk (ph. 727-
570-5312, fax 727-570-5517, e-mail [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 9 of the ESA and Federal regulations 
prohibit the ``taking'' of a species listed as endangered or 
threatened. The term ``take'' is defined under the ESA to mean harass, 
harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or 
to attempt to engage in any such conduct. NMFS may issue permits, under 
limited circumstances, to take listed species incidental to, and not 
the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the 
ESA provides for authorizing incidental take of listed species. NMFS 
regulations governing permits for threatened and endangered species are 
promulgated at 50 CFR 222.307.

Background

    NMFS published a notice of receipt and requested public comments on 
the GSML application for an incidental take permit on February 14, 2003 
(68 FR 7505). No public comments were received.
    Permit 1417 was issued on May 15, 2003, and will expire May 1, 
2012. The permit will be reviewed and reauthorized on an annual basis. 
Permit 1417 authorizes the take of listed sea turtles incidental to 
otherwise lawful trawling activities in the Florida state waters of 
Gulf, Franklin and Wakulla Counties. Permit 1417 authorizes through May 
1, 2012, an incidental take of up to a total of 3 sea turtles, all 
live, in any combination, of loggerhead, green, Kemp's ridley or 
leatherback sea turtles and up to 1 Gulf sturgeon, alive.

    Dated: May 19, 2003.
David O'Brien,
Acting Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-13157 Filed 5-23-03; 8:45 am]
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