[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 916-917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 122005B]


Endangered Species; File No. 1557

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 Molly Lutcavage, Department of 
Biology, 177 A Spaulding Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 
03824-2617, has applied in due form for a permit to take leatherback

[[Page 917]]

(Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before February 6, 2006.

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; 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 
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 e-mail comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 1557.

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 primary purpose of the proposed research would be to 
investigate leatherback sea turtle behavior and movements in near-shore 
waters off the northeastern United States and to identify their 
dispersal in relation to oceanographic conditions and fishing 
activities. The research would also help establish baseline health 
assessments, genetic identities, sex ratios, and stable isotope 
composition of leatherback sea turtle tissues and prey. Researchers 
propose to conduct research on up to 12 leatherback sea turtles 
annually. Researchers would use animals that have been disentangled 
from fishing gear by the stranding network or they would capture the 
animals using a breakaway hoopnet. Turtles would be measured, weighed, 
photographed and video taped, flipper and passive integrated 
transponder (PIT) tagged, blood sampled, cloacal swabbed, skin sampled, 
tagged with electronic instruments (e.g., satellite transmitters), and 
released. The research permit would be issued for 5 years.

    Dated: December 30, 2005.
Shane Guan,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-17 Filed 1-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S