[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 27306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11567]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA425


Endangered Species; File No. 15661

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 the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands (CNMI) Division of Fish and Wildlife, (Ignacion dela 
Cruz, Responsible Party), has applied in due form for a permit to take 
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 June 10, 2011.

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, and then selecting File 
No. 15661 from the list of available applications.
    These documents are also available 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
    Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Rm 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700; phone (808) 944-2200; fax (808) 973-2941.
    Written comments on this application should be submitted to the 
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division
     By e-mail to [email protected] (include the File 
No. in the subject line of the e-mail),
     by facsimile to (301) 713-0376, or
     at the address listed above.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 
Division at the address listed above. The request should set forth the 
specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be 
appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Colette Cairns, (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).
    The CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife proposes to conduct research 
on sea turtles to characterize population structure, size class 
composition, foraging ecology, and migration patterns for green and 
hawksbill sea turtles in the Northern Mariana Islands with an eye 
toward identifying potential conservation or critical habitat areas for 
immature and adult green and hawksbill turtles. The project would 
consist of counts and hand captures of sea turtles during vessel 
surveys. Up to 300 green and 50 hawksbill sea turtles would be 
captured, measured, weighed, flipper tagged, passive integrated 
transponder tagged, temporarily marked, tissue sampled, photographed, 
and released annually. A subset of the turtles would be satellite 
tagged before release and then tracked from the vessel. A small number 
of sea turtle carcasses, tissues or parts would also be 
opportunistically salvaged each year. The permit would be valid for 
five years.

    Dated: May 5, 2011.
Tammy C. Adams,
Acting Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-11567 Filed 5-10-11; 8:45 am]
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