[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 28 (Friday, February 10, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 7019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1893]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011106C]


Endangered Species; File No. 1540

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 the South Carolina Department of 
Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division, P.O. Box 12559, 
Charleston, S.C. 29422-2559, has been issued a permit to take 
loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 
green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), 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
    Southeast Regional Office, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 263 
13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; phone (727) 824-5312; fax 
(727)824-5309.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 15, 2005, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (70 FR 47813) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, green, leatherback, 
and hawksbill sea turtles had been submitted by the applicant. 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 capture up to 146 loggerhead (Caretta caretta), 48 
Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 15 green (Chelonia mydas), 1 
leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), and 3 hawksbill (Eretmochelys 
imbricata), during the first year of the permit's five- year period. 
The permit authorizes research on up to 346 loggerhead, 48 Kemp's 
ridley, 15 green, 1 leatherback, and 3 hawksbill, sea turtles annually 
for the remaining four-years. Turtles will be captured by trawls, 
handled, blood sampled, measured, flipper and PIT tagged, photographed, 
and released. A subsample of animals will have barnacles and keratin 
removed from their shell, have cloacal samples taken, have laparoscopic 
and ultrasound exams, and have satellite transmitters attached. Up to 7 
loggerhead and 1 leatherback may potentially be taken as accidental 
mortalities over the course of the entire permit. Additionally, up to 5 
Kemp's ridley, green, or hawksbill sea turtles (combined total but no 
more than two of any given species) may potentially be taken as 
accidental mortalities over the course of the entire permit. The 
research will document size distributions, sex ratios, genetic 
contributions, and the health of sea turtles in coastal waters in the 
southeastern U.S. The research will take place in the waters from 
Winyah Bay, South Carolina to Cape Canaveral, Florida. The permit is 
issued for 5 years.
    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: February 6, 2006.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-1893 Filed 2-9-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S