[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 6, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20926-20927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10512]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XO21


Endangered Species; File No. 13543

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

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that South Carolina Department of 
Natural Resources, 217 Ft. Johnson Rd., Charleston, SC 29412, has been 
issued a permit to take loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia 
mydas), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), leatherback (Dermochelys 
coriacea), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and hawksbill 
(Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of scientific 
research.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are 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;
    Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727) 824-5312; fax (727) 824-5309.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 7, 2008, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (73 FR 45967) that a request for a scientific 
research permit to take sea turtles had been submitted by the above-
named organization. The requested permit has been issued 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 
parts 222-226).
    The proposed research will further the understanding of the growth, 
distribution, and life history of sea turtles. The five-year permit 
will allow researchers to annually handle, measure, weigh, passive 
integrated transponder tag, flipper tag, and photograph up to 45 
loggerhead, 6

[[Page 20927]]

green, 15 Kemp's ridley, 6 leatherback, 2 olive ridley, and 2 hawksbill 
sea turtles. These animals would have already been captured by 
authorized coastal trawl surveys taking place in waters off of North 
Carolina to Florida.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered or threatened 
species, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth 
in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: April 30, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-10512 Filed 5-5-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S