[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 130 (Thursday, July 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41229-41230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15545]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 060704F]


Endangered Species; File No. 1451

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS, Office of Sustainable 
Fisheries has been issued a permit to take loggerhead (Caretta 
caretta), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Kemp's ridley 
(Lepidochelys kempii), green (Chelonia mydas), and hawksbill 
(Eretmochelys imbricata) 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 office:
    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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 1, 2003, notice was published

[[Page 41230]]

in the Federal Register (68 FR 67152) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take loggerhead, leatherback, Kemp's ridley, green 
and hawksbill sea turtles had been submitted by the above-named 
organization. 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).
    This permit authorizes the Permit Holder to handle, photograph, 
measure, weigh, collect a tissue biopsy from, flipper and Passive 
Integrated Responder (PIT) tag, and release turtles that have already 
been captured during the bottom longline fishery. The capture is 
covered under the incidental take statement issued as part of the 
Biological Opinion for the Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management 
Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks. The research will 
contribute to the understanding of the pelagic ecology of sea turtle 
species, assist in the development of more complete models of their 
population dynamics, and allow more reliable assessments of commercial 
fishery impacts.
    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: July 1, 2004.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-15545 Filed 7-7-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S