[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 231 (Thursday, December 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70125-70126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26576]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 111904D]


Endangered Species; File No. 1507

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

ACTION: Receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Llewellyn Ehrhart, University of 
Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, Florida 32816-
2368, has applied in due form for a permit to take green (Chelonia 
mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill (Eretmochelys 
imbricata), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), and leatherback 
(Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before January 3, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The application 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 
application should be mailed 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 request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301)713-0376, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period.
    Comments may also be submitted by email. The mailbox address for 
providing email comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the email comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 1507.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested 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 applicant proposes to conduct five sea turtle studies under the 
same permit. The first would involve in-water research of marine turtle 
populations in the central region of the Indian River Lagoon of 
Florida. The research would continue a study designed to determine the 
long-term trends in abundance, distribution and population structure of 
sea turtles in this region. The applicant proposes to capture by tangle 
net, flipper and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag, measure, 
weigh, blood sample, photograph and release 600 green, 135 loggerhead, 
3 Kemp's ridley and 2 hawksbill turtles. Green sea turtles would also 
be lavaged.

[[Page 70126]]

    The second project proposes to continue studies of long-term trends 
in the abundance, distribution and population structure of sea turtle 
populations residing on the sabellariid worm reef in Indian River 
County, Florida. The applicant would capture by tangle net, flipper and 
PIT tag, measure, weigh, blood sample, photograph and release 200 
green, 20 loggerhead, 2 Kemp's ridley and 2 hawksbill sea turtles. 
Green sea turtles would also be lavaged.
    The third project proposes to use satellite telemetry to study the 
movements of juvenile green sea turtles in inshore waters of eastern 
Florida. Forty green sea turtles would be captured by tangle net, 
flipper and PIT tagged, measured, weighed, blood sampled, photographed, 
fitted with a satellite transmitter and released.
    The fourth project proposes to elucidate patterns and trends in the 
abundance, distribution, and population structure of sea turtles at the 
Trident Turning Basin, Cape Canaveral, Florida. The applicant would 
capture by tangle net, flipper and PIT tag, measure, weigh, blood 
sample, photograph, and release 200 green and 10 loggerhead sea 
turtles. Green sea turtles would also be marked with non-toxic paint.
    The fifth project proposes to study green and loggerhead sea turtle 
habitat utilization in the central region of the Indian River Lagoon 
System in Florida. Eighteen green and 18 loggerhead sea turtles would 
be captured by tangle net, flipper and PIT tagged, measured, weighed, 
photographed, fitted with VHF transmitters and time-depth-temperature 
recorders, released, and tracked.
    The applicant requests a five-year permit. Each of the above 
projects would provide information that would be used to help recover 
and conserve threatened and endangered sea turtles.

    Dated: November 24, 2004.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-26576 Filed 12-1-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S