[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 66618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-29940]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XT27


Endangered Species; File No. 14506

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.

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

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Llewellyn Ehrhart, University of 
Central Florida, P.O. Box 162368, Orlando, Florida 32816, has applied 
in due form for a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill 
(Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), 
loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) 
sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or 
before January 15, 2010.

ADDRESSES: The application 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. 14506 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. 14506.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman 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).
    Dr. Ehrhart requests a five-year research permit to continue long-
term studies of sea turtle populations in three disparate habitats on 
Florida's Atlantic coast. Project 1 would occur in the Indian River 
Lagoon System, Project 2 would occur over the Sabellariid work rock 
reefs of Indian River County, and Project 3 would occur in the Trident 
Turning Basin, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Researchers would 
assess population structure, trends in relative abundance, habitat 
utilization, sex ratios, physiology, genetics, zoogeography, and 
epidemiology of sea turtles in these habitats. Turtles would be 
captured using tangle and dip nets. For Project 1 researchers would 
annually capture, flipper tag, passive integrated transponder (PIT) 
tag, measure, weigh, blood sample, tissue biopsy, lavage, photograph, 
and/or remove epibiota from: 100 loggerhead, 260 green, 3 Kemp's 
ridley, 2 hawksbill, and 1 leatherback sea turtle. Up to 10 of the 
green sea turtles would have a transmitter attached to the carapace 
annually. For Project 2 researchers would annually capture, flipper 
tag, PIT tag, measure, weigh, blood sample, tissue biopsy, lavage, 
photograph, and/or remove epibiota from: 10 loggerhead, 140 green, 2 
Kemp's ridley, and 2 hawksbill sea turtles. For Project 3 researchers 
would annually capture, flipper tag, PIT tag, measure, weigh, blood 
sample, tissue biopsy, lavage, mark the carapace with paint, and 
photograph, and/or remove epibiota from: 10 loggerhead, 140 green, 1 
Kemp's ridley, 1 hawksbill, and 1 leatherback sea turtle.

    Dated: December 11, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-29940 Filed 12-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P