[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40700-40701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11368]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 071306E]


Endangered Species; File No. 1570

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 Southeast Fisheries Science Center 
(SEFSC), NMFS, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, Florida 33149, has 
applied in due form for a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas), 
loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 
hawsbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley (Lepidochelys 
olivacea), and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles for 
purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before August 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, St. Petersburg, FL 
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

[[Page 40701]]

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 e-mail comments is [email protected]. Include in the 
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: 
File No. 1570.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Opay or Carrie Hubard, 
(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 
222-226).
    The proposed research would evaluate modifications to commercial 
fishing gear to mitigate sea turtle interactions and capture. These 
evaluations and subsequent gear modifications would help to reduce 
incidental turtle bycatch in the gear types studied. By assessing those 
animals incidentally captured, the research would also provide new data 
to improve stock assessments, assess the impact of anthropogenic 
activities, better manage and, ultimately, recover these species. The 
research would take up to 253 loggerhead, 101 Kemp's ridley, 112 
leatherback, 51 green, 37 hawksbill, 36 olive ridley sea turtles, and 
88 unidentified hardshell species (e.g., a turtle that escaped from the 
gear before identification could be made). Animals would be handled, 
measured, weighed, photographed, flipper tagged, passive integrated 
transponder tagged, skin biopsied, and released. A subset of these 
animals would be captured by trawl research authorized by the permit. 
The research would take place in waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of 
Mexico, Caribbean Sea and their tributaries. The permit would be issued 
for 5 years.

    Dated: July 13, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-11368 Filed 7-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S