[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 105 (Thursday, June 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 31165]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8406]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 050106B]


Endangered Species; File No. 1506

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit modification.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Blair Witherington, Ph.D., Florida 
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research 
Institute, Melbourne Beach Field Laboratory, 9700 South A1A, Melbourne 
Beach, Florida 32951 has been issued a modification to scientific 
research Permit No. 1506.

ADDRESSES: The modification 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 Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727)824-5312; fax (727)824-5309.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 9, 2006, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (71 FR 12184) that a modification of Permit No. 
1506, issued March 23, 2005 (70 FR 20530), had been requested by the 
above-named individual. The requested modification has been granted 
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).
    Permit No. 1506 currently authorizes the permit holder to study 
neonate and juvenile loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia 
mydas), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), hawksbill (Eretmochelys 
imbricata) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles in the 
waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of 
Florida to continue long-term studies. The purpose of the research is 
to identify developmental habitat and evaluate the extent of ingestion 
of marine debris. Dr. Witherington is currently authorized to annually 
capture up to 250 loggerhead, 10 green, 5 hawksbill, 2 Kemp's ridley, 
and 2 leatherback sea turtles by handheld dip nets. All turtles are 
measured and released. A subset of loggerhead turtles would be 
transported to a lab and examined with a veterinary high resolution 
magnetic resonance interferometry (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) 
exam, held for 3-4 days and released to determine their level of 
anthropogenic debris ingestion.
    The permit modification allows the permit holder to increase takes 
to collect up to 100 green, 50 Kemp's ridley, 50 hawksbill and 10 
leatherback sea turtles annually. A subset of green sea turtles would 
be examined with MRI, held for 3-4 days and released to determine their 
level of anthropogenic debris ingestion. Annually, four of each species 
of green, hawksbill, and Kemp's ridley sea turtles would have 
transmitters attached to measure movements and dive patterns, would be 
recaptured after 24 hours to remove the transmitter, and released. The 
goal of the additional research will be to improve the quality of the 
data gathered and provide insight into juvenile sea turtle movements 
and dive patterns.
    Issuance of this modification, 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: May 24, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-8406 Filed 5-31-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S