[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 21, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54021-54022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25349]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XS26


Endangered Species; File No. 14726

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Blair Witherington, Florida Fish 
and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 9700 South A1A, Melbourne Beach, 
Florida, 32951, has applied in due form for a permit to take loggerhead 
(Caretta caretta), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Kemp's ridley 
(Lepidochelys kempii), green (Chelonia mydas), and hawksbill 
(Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of scientific 
research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before November 20, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review by selecting ``Records Open for Public Comment'' from the 
Features box on the

[[Page 54022]]

Applications and Permits for Protected Species (APPS) home page, 
https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/index.cfm, and then selecting File No. 14726 
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)713-0376; 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)713-0376, 
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. 14726.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Opay or Amy Hapeman, (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 
parts 222-226).
    The purpose of this project is to locate and describe areas of the 
Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico near Florida that serve as 
developmental habitat for pelagic-stage juvenile and neonate 
loggerhead, green, Kemp's ridley, hawksbill, and leatherback sea 
turtles, to quantify threats to pelagic sea turtles, and to gather 
information on their life-history, genetics, movements, behavior, and 
diet. Researchers propose to capture by dip net, flipper tag, passive 
integrated transponder tag, measure, weigh, and oral swab up to 250 
loggerheads, 100 greens, 50 Kemp's ridleys, 50 hawksbills, and 10 
leatherbacks. Up to 100 of the loggerheads, all of the greens, all of 
the Kemp's ridleys, all of the hawksbills, and all of the leatherbacks 
would be esophageal lavaged.
    Up to 100 of the loggerheads, all of the greens, and all of the 
hawksbills would be skin biopsied. Up to 5 of the Kemp's ridleys would 
have a satellite tag attached. The requested permit duration is five 
years.

    Dated: October 15, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-25349 Filed 10-20-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S