[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 82 (Friday, April 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 25153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6446]



[[Page 25153]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 042006D]


Endangered Species; File No. 1576

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, Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center (NEFSC), 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026, 
has applied in due form for a permit to take loggerhead (Caretta 
caretta), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Kemp's ridley 
(Lepidochelys kempii), green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys 
imbricata), 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 May 30, 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 email comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 1576.

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 
parts 222-226).
    The NEFSC proposes to test modifications to scallop dredge gear 
that may reduce the probability of turtle injuries due to gear 
interactions. The NEFSC also proposes to opportunistically collect 
biological information from sea turtles captured in other projects or 
fisheries to improve NMFS's ability to assess stocks and the impact of 
anthropogenic activities. The NEFSC would annually capture and/or 
handle, measure, weigh, flipper tag, passive integrated transponder 
tag, tissue biopsy, collect parts from, photograph, and release up to 
75 loggerhead, 9 leatherback, 26 Kemp's ridley, 10 green, 6 hawksbill, 
1 olive ridley, and an additional 6 of any of these species (any 
combination). The research would occur in the Western Atlantic Ocean 
(Florida Keys through Maine) and the permit would be issued for 5 
years.

    Dated: April 24, 2006.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-6446 Filed 4-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S