[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 177 (Friday, September 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53720-53721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-23202]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 090503A]


Endangered Species; File No. 1429

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

ACTION: Receipt of application for modification

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Southeast Fisheries Science 
Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 75 Virginia Beach, Miami, FL 
33149, has requested a modification to scientific research Permit No. 
1429.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
October 14, 2003.

ADDRESSES: The modification request and related documents are available 
for review upon written request or by appointment in the following 
office(s):
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)713-0376; and
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. 
Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; phone (727)570-5301; fax (727)570-5320.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this request 
should be submitted to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 
Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals 
requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a 
hearing on this particular modification request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301)713-0376, 
provided

[[Page 53721]]

the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Please 
note that comments will not be accepted by e-mail or other electronic 
media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Opay, (301)713-1401 or Carrie 
Hubard, (301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 1429, 
issued on June 26, 2003 (68 FR 38011) is requested under the authority 
of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and 
exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226).
    Permit No. 1429 authorizes the permit holder to take loggerhead 
(Caretta caretta), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), green (Chelonia 
mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley (Lepidochelys 
olivacea), and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles to 
conduct sea turtle bycatch reduction research in the pelagic longline 
fishery of the western north Atlantic Ocean. Captured turtles are 
measured, flipper and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagged, 
photographed and tissue sampled. Forty-five loggerheads are also being 
outfitted with a conventional satellite or a pop-up archival 
transmitting tag using the lanyard attachment method. The permit holder 
requests authorization to attach conventional satellite or pop-up 
archival transmitting tags to 15 leatherback sea turtles. The permit 
holder will use a hoist to bring the turtles on deck. The tags would be 
attached to the peduncle of each animal by lanyard and would provide 
information on the movements and post hooking survival of this species. 
This permit modification will be valid through the date of expiration 
of the permit on December 31, 2003.

    Dated: September 5, 2003.
Carrie W. Hubard,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-23202 Filed 9-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S