[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 26, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72027-72028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28181]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XL99


Endangered Species; File No. 1506

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 Blair E. Witherington, Ph D., 
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife 
Research Institute, Melbourne Beach Field Laboratory, 9700 South A1A, 
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951, has requested an modification to scientific 
research Permit No. 1506-01.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before December 26, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The modification request and related documents are available 
for review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the 
Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species 
(APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/index.cfm, and then 
selecting File No. 1506-02 from the list of available applications. 
These documents are also available for review upon written request or 
by appointment in the following offices:
    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,

[[Page 72028]]

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. 1506.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject modification to Permit No. 1506, 
issued on March 23, 2005 (70 FR 20530) 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. 1506-01 authorizes the permit holder to study neonate 
and juvenile loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), 
Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) 
and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles in the waters of the 
Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. The 
purpose of the research is to identify developmental habitat, evaluate 
the extent of ingestion of marine debris, and provide insight into 
juvenile sea turtle movements and dive patterns. Dr. Witherington may 
capture up to 250 loggerhead, 100 green, 50 hawksbill, 50 Kemp's 
ridley, and 10 leatherback sea turtles by handheld dip nets annually. 
All turtles are measured and released. A subset of green and loggerhead 
turtles may be transported to a lab and examined with high resolution 
magnetic resonance interferometry or computerized tomography, held for 
3-4 days and released to determine their level of anthropogenic debris 
ingestion. Annually, four of each species of green, hawksbill, and 
Kemp's ridley sea turtles may have sonic transmitters and data loggers 
attached to measure movements and dive patterns, be recaptured after 24 
hours to remove the transmitter and released.
    The permit holder requests authorization to annually flipper tag 
and passive integrated transponder tag all captured sea turtles, biopsy 
sample up to 100 loggerhead, 100 green, and 50 hawksbill sea turtles, 
and lavage up to 50 loggerhead, 50 green, 50 hawksbill, 50 Kemp's 
ridley, and 10 leatherback sea turtles. The permit holder also requests 
authorization to attach harnessed satellite transmitters to 10 Kemp's 
ridley sea turtles each year. Imaging activities and attachment of 
sonic transmitters and data loggers would no longer be authorized for 
any species. No increase in the total number of turtles taken would be 
authorized. These additional activities would provide information on 
the genetic origin, diet, movement, and dive patterns of sea turtles in 
this area. The amendment would be valid until the permit expires on 
March 31, 2010.

    Dated: November 21, 2008.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-28181 Filed 11-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S