[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 12, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 26366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10784]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 041604B]


Endangered Species; File No. 1438

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. Thane Wibbels, Department of 
Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170 
has been issued a permit to take Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 
loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles 
for purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    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 or Jennifer Skidmore, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 16, 2003 notice was published in the 
Federal Register (68 FR 35630) that a request for a scientific research 
permit to take loggerhead, Kemp's ridley and green sea turtles had been 
submitted by the above-named individual. The requested permit has been 
issued under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the regulations governing the 
taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species 
(50 CFR parts 222-226).
    The permit holder will utilize tangle net methodology combined with 
observational surveys from boats to study sea turtles in the estuarine 
systems of Alabama state waters from Grand Bay to Perdido Bay. The 
purpose of the research is to provide a basic understanding of the 
abundance, location, and movement of sea turtles within these estuarine 
ecosystems. This research will help resource managers develop optimal 
management strategies for these estuaries in order to conserve and 
protect sea turtles and their habitat. The permit holder will take 30 
Kemp's ridley, 30 loggerhead, and 30 green sea turtles annually. 
Turtles will be captured with a 9.9 inch (25 cm) mesh tangle net that 
is 731.7 feet (223 m) long by 19.7 feet (6 m) deep. Turtles will be 
measured, weighed, flipper tagged, blood sampled and released. A subset 
of five loggerhead and five Kemp's ridley sea turtles will be tagged 
with a sonic or satellite transmitter. The duration of this permit is 5 
years.
    Issuance of this permit, 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 endangered species which is the 
subject of this permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: May 6, 2004.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-10784 Filed 5-11-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S