[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 17956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6850]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG82


Endangered Species; File Nos. 13306 and 13307

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

ACTION:  Notice; receipt of applications.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:  Notice is hereby given that Karen Holloway-Adkins, East Coast 
Biologists, Inc., P.O. Box 33715, Indialantic, FL 32903 (File No. 
13306) and Kristen Hart, 600 4\th\ Street South, St. Petersburg, FL, 
33701 (File No. 13307) have applied in due form for permits to take 
green (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and hawksbill 
(Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of scientific 
research.

DATES:  Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before May 2, 2008.

ADDRESSES:  The applications 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 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 Nos. 13306 and/or 13307.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kate Swails or Patrick Opay, 
(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).
    File No. 13306: Ms. Holloway-Adkins proposes to capture up to 60 
green and 5 loggerhead sea turtles annually. The turtles would be 
weighed, measured, flipper tagged, Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) 
tagged, and blood and tissue sampled. A subset of green turtles would 
be lavaged. The applicant would also conduct visual transect surveys. 
This research would characterize the turtle aggregation using the 
nearshore reef system of Brevard county, Florida as well as monitor the 
impact of local beach nourishment activities on the sea turtles and 
their habitat.
    File No. 13307: Dr. Hart proposes to capture up to 30 green, 20 
hawksbill, and 20 loggerhead sea turtles annually. Turtles would be 
weighed, measured, flipper tagged, PIT tagged, blood sampled, tissue 
sampled, fecal sampled, and lavaged. A subset of turtles would be 
tagged with a satellite tag or acoustic transmitter or a combination of 
both. This research would address fine-scale temporal and spatial 
patterns of sea turtle habitat use, ecology, and genetic origin within 
the Dry Tortugas National Park.
    Both permits would be issued for five years.

    Dated: March 27, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-6850 Filed 4-1-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S