[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 52 (Friday, March 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 13816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3945]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 031006B]


Endangered Species; File No. 1563

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that North Carolina Division of Marine 
Fisheries (NCDMF; Mr. Blake Price, Principal Investigator), P.O. Box 
769, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557, has applied in due form for a 
permit to take threatened and endangered sea turtles for purposes of 
scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
April 17, 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
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, 
Florida 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. 1563.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Hubard or Patrick Opay, 
(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 
parts 222-226).
    The applicant proposes to test two types of large mesh gillnets to 
ascertain which type of net will reduce sea turtle interactions while 
maintaining targeted catch rates for southern flounder (Paralichthys 
lethostigma). Both nets would be constructed of 0.52 mm diameter 
monofilament with 6-inch (15.2 cm) mesh webbing and would be 1,200 
yards (1,097 m) long. The control net would be 25 meshes deep while the 
low profile net would be twelve meshes deep. Control nets would have 
additional floatation every six feet (1.8 m) and tie downs every 30 
feet (9.1 m); the experimental net would have neither. NCDMF plans to 
conduct 150 paired net deployments (one of each type of net). To follow 
fishing protocols, nets would be set at dusk and retrieved in the early 
morning. Captured sea turtles would be examined for any possible 
injuries and held for approximately two hours to ensure they are 
healthy before being transported away from the fishing area and 
released. Turtles would be identified to species, measured, 
photographed, and flipper and PIT tagged. Any comatose or debilitated 
turtles would be transported to a rehabilitation center. During the 
life of the permit, the applicant requests authorization to capture 23 
Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 23 loggerhead (Caretta caretta), 
22 green (Chelonia mydas), 2 hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and 2 
leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles. Of the captured 
turtles, 11 Kemp's, 11 loggerhead, 11 green, 1 hawksbill, and 1 
leatherback may be mortalities. Research would be conducted in Pamlico 
Sound, North Carolina and the permit would expire in December 2007.

    Dated: March 10, 2006.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-3945 Filed 3-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S