[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 232 (Wednesday, December 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67659-67660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30138]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 112403C]


Endangered Species; Permit No. 1429

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

ACTION: Scientific research permit modification.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a request for modification of 
scientific research permit no. 1429 submitted by the National Marine 
Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) has been 
granted.

ADDRESSES: The amendment 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;
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. 
Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; phone (727)570-5301; fax (727)570-5320.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The requested amendment has been granted 
under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the provisions of 50 CFR 222.306 of 
the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of 
endangered and threatened fish and wildlife (50 CFR 222-226).

[[Page 67660]]

    The modification extends the expiration date of the Permit from 
December 31, 2003, to December 31, 2004, for takes of green (Chelonia 
mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), olive ridley (Lepidochelys 
olivacea), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill (Eretmochelys 
imbricata) and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles. The 
permit allows the SEFSC to conduct sea turtle bycatch reduction 
research in the pelagic longline fishery of the western north Atlantic 
Ocean. The purpose of the research is to develop and test methods to 
reduce bycatch that occurs incidental to commercial, pelagic longline 
fishing.
    Issuance of this amendment, as required by the ESA was based on a 
finding that such permit: (1) Was applied for in good faith; (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the threatened and endangered 
species which are the subject of this permit; and (3) is consistent 
with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: November 26, 2003.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-30138 Filed 12-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S