[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 179 (Monday, September 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 52860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18303]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC68


Endangered Species; File No. 1576

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for modification.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science 
Center (NEFSC), 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026, has 
requested a modification to scientific research Permit No. 1576.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before October 17, 2007.

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
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978)281-9300; fax (978)281-9394.
    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. 1576.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 1576, 
issued on November 8, 2006 (71 FR 65471) 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. 1576 authorizes the permit holder to test modifications 
to scallop dredge gear that may reduce the probability of turtle 
injuries due to gear interactions. They may also 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 permit holder requests 
authorization to capture, hold, transport, measure, weigh, flipper and 
passive integrated transponder tag, satellite tag, collect tissue 
biopsy, photograph, salvage and necropsy up to 50 loggerhead (Caretta 
caretta) and 50 Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles 
annually through October 31, 2011. Researchers request up to one 
accidental mortality of each species annually. Research would take 
place in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the eastern United States. 
The main purpose of the research is to use satellite-linked tags to 
obtain high-resolution information on the depth, temperature, and 
movement of these sea turtle species in areas coincident with Northeast 
fisheries.

    Dated: September 12, 2007.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-18303 Filed 9-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S