[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 31, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 51757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17344]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 080305C]


Endangered Species; File No. 1537

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Guam Division of Aquatic and 
Wildlife Resources (DAWR), 142 Dairy Road, Mangilao, Guam 96913, has 
been issued a permit to take 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(s):
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 
(301)713-2289; fax (301)427-2521; and
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808)973-2935; fax (808)973-2941.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 3, 2005, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (70 FR 32582) that a request for a scientific research 
permit to take 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).
    Researchers will annually capture 63 green and 30 hawksbill sea 
turtles by hand or by tangle net. Turtles will be measured, flipper 
tagged, Passive Integrated Transponder tagged, tissue sampled, and 
released. A subset of individuals of each species will also have a 
satellite transmitter attached to their carapace. The research will 
gather information on turtle population size and stratification, 
species distribution, and health status. This information will be used 
to develop conservation management measures for these species. The 
research will occur in the waters off of Guam. The permit is issued for 
a 5-year period.
    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 any endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: August 26, 2005.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-17344 Filed 8-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S