[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 36520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10113]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061406C]


Endangered Species; File No. 1557

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 Molly Lutcavage, Department of 
Zoology, 177 A Spaulding Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 
03824-2617, has been issued a permit to take leatherback (Dermochelys 
coriacea) 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, 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)281-9200; fax (978)281-9371.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 6, 2006, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (71 FR 916) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take leatherback sea turtles had been submitted by 
the above-named individual. 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).
    The primary purpose of the proposed research is to investigate 
leatherback sea turtle regional 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 will also help establish baseline health 
assessments, genetic identities, sex ratios, and stable isotope 
composition of leatherback sea turtle tissues and prey. Researchers 
will conduct research on up to 12 leatherback sea turtles annually. 
Researchers will use animals that have been disentangled from fishing 
gear by the stranding network or they will capture the animals using a 
breakaway hoopnet. Turtles will be measured, weighed, photographed and 
video taped, flipper and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagged, 
blood sampled, cloacal swabbed, nasal swabbed, skin sampled, tagged 
with electronic instruments (e.g., satellite transmitters), and 
released. The research 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: June 21, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-10113 Filed 6-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S