[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 193 (Thursday, October 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58805-58806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16487]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 092606I]


Endangered Species; File No. 1540

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for modification of a scientific 
research permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that South Carolina Department of 
Natural Resources (SCDNR), Marine Resources Division, P.O. Box 12559, 
Charleston, SC 29422-2559, has requested a modification to scientific 
research Permit No. 1540.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before November 6, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The modification request 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.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this request 
should be submitted 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 modification 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. 1540.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 1540, 
issued on February 6, 2006 (71 FR 7019) is requested under the 
authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (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. 1540 currently authorizes the permit holder to study 
loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 
green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), and 
hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles. The purpose of the 
research is to continue to document in-water relative abundances, size 
distributions, sex ratios, genetic contributions, and the health of sea 
turtles in coastal waters in the southeastern U.S. SCDNR is authorized 
to capture 146 loggerhead, 48 Kemp's ridley, 15 green, 1 leatherback, 
and 3 hawksbill sea turtles, during the first year of the permit's 
five- year period. The permit authorizes research on up to 346 
loggerhead, 48 Kemp's ridley, 15 green, 1 leatherback, and 3 hawksbill 
sea turtles annually for the remaining four years. Turtles are captured 
by trawls, handled, blood sampled, measured, flipper and Passive 
Integrated Transponder tagged, photographed, and released. A subsample 
of animals have barnacles and keratin removed from their shell, have 
cloacal samples taken, have laparoscopic and ultrasound exams, and have 
satellite transmitters attached. Up to 7 loggerhead and 1 leatherback 
captures could potentially result in accidental mortalities over the 
course of the entire permit. Additionally, up to 5 Kemp's ridley, 
green, or hawksbill sea turtles (combined total but no more than two of 
any given species) may potentially be taken as accidental mortalities 
over the course of the entire permit. The permit is issued for 5 years.

[[Page 58806]]

    On March 31, 2006 notice was published (71 FR 16291) that the 
permit holder requested authorization to skin biopsy loggerhead sea 
turtles. In addition to skin biopsy the permit holder has since 
requested authorization for additional sampling and satellite tracking 
of loggerhead sea turtles. The permit modification would annually 
authorize an increase in the number of turtles undergoing ultrasound, 
cloacal swabbing, keratin scraping, and having satellite transmitters 
attached. The number of sea turtles captured would not change. The goal 
of the additional research would be to assess the potential diversity 
of diets and foraging habits and document over-wintering habitats of 
loggerheads.

    Dated: September 28, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-16487 Filed 10-4-06; 8:45 am]
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