[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 53 (Monday, March 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 13480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5540]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 031105H]


Endangered Species; File No. 1295

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 NMFS Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center (Responsible Official- Dr. John Boreman), 166 Water 
Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1097, has requested a modification to 
scientific research Permit No. 1295.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before April 20, 2005.

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)427-2521; and
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9328; fax (978)281-9394.
    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)427-2521, 
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 e-mail. The mailbox address for 
providing email comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 1295.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 1295, 
issued on June 4, 2001 (66 FR 29934) 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. 1295 authorizes the permit holder to take loggerhead 
(Caretta caretta), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Kemp's ridley 
(Lepidochelys kempii), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and green 
(Chelonia mydas) sea turtles for scientific research. The current 
permit authorizes the sampling of turtles taken during bottom trawl, 
scallop, acoustic and Illex squid surveys; research designed to develop 
and test methods to reduce incidental bycatch of sea turtles that 
occurs in a commercial pound net fishery of Virginia; sampling during 
research designed to develop and test methods to reduce incidental 
bycatch of sea turtles that occurs in scallop drag fisheries; and the 
sampling of sea turtles captured during the NMFS Northeast Fishery 
Science Center's biennial shark longline surveys. The permit holder 
requests authorization to extend the duration of the pound net 
experiment from 42 days to 55 days. The permit holder also requests an 
increase in the number of annual lethal takes of loggerhead sea turtles 
from 2 to 4, the number of annual lethal takes of Kemp's ridley sea 
turtles from 3 to 6, and the number of annual lethal takes of green sea 
turtles from 0 to 1. The permit holder also asks for a total annual 
take increase of leatherbacks from 1 to 2 including an increase in 
allowed annual lethal takes from 0 to 1, and the addition of 1 
hawksbill annual take that may be lethal. This research permit expires 
May 31, 2006. The requested modifications are necessary so the permit 
holder can continue bycatch reduction research relating to the pound 
net fishery.

    Dated: March 16, 2005.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-5540 Filed 3-18-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S