[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 19, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60796-60797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20894]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 101305A]


Endangered Species; File No. 1552

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the NMFS, Southeast Fisheries 
Science Center (SEFSC), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, Florida 33149, 
has applied in due form for a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas), 
loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 
hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), 
and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtles for purposes of 
scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before November 18, 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)427-2521; andSoutheast Region, 
NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; phone (727)824-
5312; fax (727)824-5309.
    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)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. 1552.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Opay or Kate Swails, (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 
222-226).
    The applicant proposes to handle, measure, weigh, photograph, 
flipper tag, passive integrated transponder tag, skin biopsy, and 
release up to 110 green, 550 loggerhead, 195 Kemp's ridley, 110 
hawksbill, 235 leatherback, 110 olive ridley, and 145 unidentified 
hardshell (combination of green, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, hawksbill, 
olive ridley, or hybrids that would not be able to be identified at the 
time of capture) sea

[[Page 60797]]

turtles annually. The applicant would sample turtles captured 
incidentally during other activities including the shark gillnet 
fishery, longline fisheries, the shrimp trawl fishery, and surveys 
during oil/gas platform removal. The capture would be authorized by the 
incidental take statements of the biological opinions that cover these 
activities. The research would provide data on the turtles that 
interact with these activities and provide data useful to better 
understanding turtle migration, habitat use, genetics, and population 
dynamics. The information would be used to develop, implement, and 
evaluate conservation recovery efforts for sea turtles. The research 
would take place in Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and 
tributaries. The permit would be issued for 5 years.

    Dated: October 13, 2005.
Carrie W. Hubard,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-20894 Filed 10-18-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S